Bloody Tears & Roses
by Bexi
Summary: After Bakura reads an ancient spell wrongly, Malik wakes up the next morning feeling unlike himself ... in fact he isn't himself - he's a girl! What happens when Malik feels he/she can only trust Bakura and his hikari with this secret? And how long will i
1. Prologue

**Bloody Tears & Roses**

**A Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction**

Written by Bexi

**Disclaimer** - I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters. Any unfamiliar characters belong to me.

**Author's Notes **– Okay, guys, first thing to make clear is that this was actually a challenge from somebody I knew. I put some consideration into it and this was just a strange thing that that came into my head ... it is Bakura (yami) x Malik (hikari) (the challenge) but it's not exactly yaoi. You see, I adore both characters and personally think they are strikingly similar in the department of friends. Bakura is an insane spirit who craves power and Malik is ... near on the same - though not as bad, in my opinion. I find it hard to believe that Yugi, well, maybe not Yugi, but more the others, have forgiven Malik for the Battle City incident. It was rather ... bad. But I think that because they are both loners who enjoy each other's company ... though neither would willingly admit it because they are too proud. But, as I was saying ... if you read the summary you'll get the gist of what happens.

**Summary** - After Bakura reads an ancient spell wrongly, Malik wakes up the next morning feeling unlike himself ... in fact he isn't himself - he's a girl! What happens when Malik feels he/she can only trust Bakura and his hikari with this secret? And how long will it remain that way? Bakura x Malik.

Just your average male turns into a female overnight. Physically impossible - yes! Hilarious to write - certainly! I think I'm just doing this to get a cheep thrill out of doing something I've never done before.

On another matter, names...

Malik is the hikari

Bakura is the yami

Marik isn't in the fic ... at least I don't think he will be.

I'll be using dub names (Joey, Téa, Tristan) except for Ryou, Isis and Rashid. Just because I'm so use to those others from writing my other fics. I haven't actually seen the ending of Battle City, but doesn't Malik, Isis and Rashid go back to Egypt? Well, they've come back.

**Prologue**

Malik sighed as he lazily blew a lock of ash-blond hair, which had been constantly falling into his amethyst eyes all day. He was lying on a wooden bench with his hands under his head, watching almost uninterested as his friend - or partner being the term most frequently used - rummaged through several books. Bakura had mentioned something about an ancient spell, which he could use to get a hold of all the Sennen Items.

Malik wasn't sure what this spell was, as Bakura was vague on the details, but promised ('_whether Bakura has actually kept one still remains a mystery_,' Malik thought) to explain fully once he found what he was searching for. Both were certain that the book they sought would not be found in a normal library and after hearing the platinum-haired thief's description Malik was positive that he had seen a book by that same description in his sister's museum.

And that was where they both were now.

It was a year from that day that Isis decided that a move back to Domino would be necessary, as she had collected many artefacts that could be used in her museum. She had been informed that there had been an increasing demand for the museum to be re-opened and she was asked if she would return and become the curator. She had discussed this change with both Malik and Rashid. Rashid had backed up whatever wishes Isis wanted, but Malik had been rather reluctant to return, saying that it would be uncomfortable returning to the place he had caused most destruction to. Isis had to sympathise with her younger brother but he couldn't constantly live in the past and she told him so. With both Rashid and Isis adamant on returning, Malik had no further say in the matter, both siblings feeling it would benefit Malik the most - a fresh start. Isis had enrolled him in Domino High School, saying that Malik needed an education. Malik immediately argued, he had accomplished so much without an education so far (whether attempting to take the pharaoh's power was an accomplishment, Malik was uncertain). He knew all his basic stuff and just because he did not have a piece of paper with a grade on it did not mean he was stupid.

Naturally, Malik hated every moment of it and looked forward to 3 o'clock everyday. He had never been one of those gifted people with the remarkable ability to befriend most living beings. He wasn't Yugi Mouto and he would never be anything like Yugi either. No, unlike Yugi, Malik found it difficult to place his trust in people. People had to earn his trust because it was an attribute that could easily be broken within time. So Malik believed that for one to earn his trust was similar to that of a job - the initial call or letter requesting the job, which may later lead to the succession of gaining a formal interview. Being under the scrutiny of the interviewer - Malik - the candidate would then be chosen. However, the candidate could have easily lied and the person seen in the interview could have been a completely different person altogether. Making reference back to how Malik, himself, had easily fooled Yugi into believing he was their friend, under the guise of 'Namu'. That showed how gullible the heart could be.

"And people preach about how they have been deceived and how traitorous you are," Malik had mused. "They should take a look at the reason being WHY they feel this way ... take a look into the real reason as to why they are so easily hurt. I am not spiteful or cruel, nor am I vindictive and malicious for toying they their feelings - no, I am careful! Careful and smart enough to realise how the real world actually works - after being hidden from it for so long..."

He believed this, knowing that deceitfulness was just a trait of mankind and people could not run from it forever. So, instead, he turned and faced it head on, making his own choices and decisions about just how his life would be and how this would lead towards the future. Unfortunately, attending school was to be a part of Malik's future, despite how much he detested it. He gritted his teeth and held his tongue whenever Yugi approached him. It wasn't that Malik didn't like Yugi, on the contrary, he found the little tri-coloured-haired boy to be nothing but pleasant. That was the problem though. Malik plainly refused to believe that Yugi and his friends had 'forgiven' him for the whole Battle City incident, even though they had said they had. Nevertheless, Malik refused to get worked up because, quite frankly, he didn't care. He didn't care what they thought of him or what his other classmates' thoughts on him where. This rule also applied outside of school too, which was the main reason why he didn't turn a blind eye to the fact that people sniggered and stared because of his appearance.

He had lost track long ago of all the times Isis had pestered him about making friends. The Tomb-Keeper just snorted and continued about his own business as she wittered on about him needing more than one friend, which would undoubtedly lead on to a further one-sided conversation about why he still remained friends with that, what had Isis said? "I really don't see the reason why you insist on remaining 'friends' with that bloody obnoxious Tomb-Robber. He's without doubt a bad influence on you, Malik, why can't you make friends with Yugi?"

Malik just blanked out whenever his sister began ranting about friendship. Sometimes he wondered why he puts up with her. It wasn't that he didn't love his sister, he just found her slightly annoying at times. Why couldn't she be more like Rashid and just accept the fact that he was friends with Bakura and not Yugi? Though, just because he had accepted it didn't mean that his adopted brother had to like the fact.

To say that Bakura was like himself would be an understatement, though completely true.

Malik turned his head to the platinum-haired male, who was still skimming though different texts, his fine brows knitted together in a mixture of concentration and frustration. The corners of Malik's lips curled as Bakura muttered Egyptian curses under his breath. One thing you could guarantee was that Bakura was original with his choice of words.

"Find what you're looking for?" the tanned teenager grinned.

Bakura turned his head slowly, his dark crimson eyes piercing Malik with such intensity. The slightest tinge of ire was noticeable with the Tomb-Robber's pale complexion - also know as albinism. With his pale skin, pale hair and red-tinted eyes, Bakura was the complete contrast to Malik, who was tanned (though not as tanned as most Egyptians due to the lack of contact Malik had with the sun in his early years) with light eyes and equally light hair.

Bakura had always thought that Malik's appearance and complexion was very exotic, due to the fact that most Egyptians were known to be dark-skinned with dark hair.

"What do you think?" Bakura sneered gruffly, a light accent present in his voice.

"Touchy," Malik replied, lightly.

Bakura ignored Malik and turned his attention to the book in his hands. This was the book he sought, that he was certain of. The book itself was of normal size with a black and red cover, Egyptian hieroglyphics inscribed in gold. Never would he have been grateful to Isis. '_Maybe the wicked wench has a purpose in life after all_,' he sniggered to himself. He thumbed through the pages until they found what he was searching for. It was a simple spell, which would give him the perfect opportunity to steal all the Sennen Items.

Malik tilted his head and watched the other in an almost child-like manner, curiosity taking a complete hold of him. Bakura's triumphant smile was enough for Malik to pluck up the courage to disturb the Tomb-Robber's moment of glory. Slowly, Malik stood up and walked to where Bakura stood, back towards him. Curiously, the tanned teenager slowly began looking over the platinum-haired spirit's shoulder, looking at the familiar Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Bakura took note of this and spun on the spot, purposely lifting the book so it would make direct contact with Malik's face.

"What was that for, asshole!?" Malik spat suddenly, carefully rubbing the area that was caught on the corner of the book. It wasn't anything more than a stinging pain that would fade away in a matter of minutes - but still! He removed his hand, knowing that it was a scratch, which would eventually swell slightly.

"That's what you get for being a nosy bastard," he sniggered, refusing to apologise - not that Malik really expected one either. He observed Malik for a moment and smiled. "This is my key to getting all the Sennen Items."

Malik blinked and waited but almost regretted doing so when Bakura added, "I just need to try it out on somebody - i.e. you..."

The Egyptian's amethyst eyes widened in shock realisation but Bakura had already begun reading the incantation aloud. The only thing that was left was to wait for the spell to take its desired effects.

Malik looked down at his hands - he didn't feel any different. What had Bakura actually done?

"It hasn't worked ... you're still conscious..." he muttered grimly, the smile returning the accustomed scowl that was Bakura.

His crimson eyes stole a hardened glance at the book in hand; scanning over every small detail that caused the spell to fail. What he found was almost enough to make him laugh aloud, but he reframed from doing so. A smudge of dirt on the page had been the cause. He wiped it and stared at the rightful spell.

"What do you mean?" Malik demanded, still curious as to what Bakura had originally planned. The other had mentioned that he was still conscious, so did that mean that this was the great Tomb-Robber's plan? Use this spell on the pharaoh and steal the puzzle?

As if sensing the scrutiny, Bakura looked up and smirked darkly. "There was a mark on the page, which inadvertently caused me to read the wrong spell. Be thankful - you could have sprouted feline ears, paws and a tail, too."

"That's just as well then," he muttered darkly, narrowing his eyes at Bakura, who was in the least bit intimidated by this action. "Grateful? Yeah right..."

Malik continued to mumble under his breath, too frustrated to actually wonder behind the consequences of the wrong spell being cast upon him. Walking lazily towards the bench, Malik stopped when a wave of dizziness overcame him. Reaching out for anything that would balance him, Malik groaned as he found nothing. He squeezed his eyes shut in a small hope that the room would stop spinning, but it did nothing to stop himself stumbling forward as darkness engulfed him.

---

Bakura sighed, considering speaking the words to make sure they were correct, but thought against this and decided he was satisfied enough with the spell being correct now. He closed the book and turned his attention back to Malik, wondering whether the Egyptian was still sulking. Malik never once ceased to amuse him. Just how he managed to go from being a cunning and devious bastard to a close imitation of a woman on PMS was a mystery to Bakura, but it was incredibly amusing to watch.

However, Bakura didn't see a brooding Malik, but the Egyptian stumbling forward. He could see clearly that if Malik fell his head would impact with the bench. The thief automatically dropped the book and jumped forward to catch Malik before he fell.

Bemused, Bakura looked at the still Tomb-Keeper in his arms, seeing he was clearly unconscious. "But the spell didn't work..." he mused.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter One: How Did I Ever Wind Up Here

**Author's Note: **Well I'd like to say a quick thank you to those who reviewed (and liked) the story. I was uncertain at first ... but it's humour so what they heck. I really should be writing my thesis instead of being here but I'm liking this alot better than my subject. 

**Chapter One  
****How Did I Ever Wind Up Here?**

Bakura groaned and tried with all his might to ignore the annoying sound, which sounded like his own name being repeatedly shouted. There really was no point in answering the frantic cry because everyone he knew was in school (a prison for young people that is gradually conditioning them into mindless zombies with the inability to think rational thoughts for themselves, as Malik graciously put it) or would not waste their time seeking him out.

'_No,_' he decided, '_the person will leave once they realise that they're wasting their time. No one's home_!'

"BAKURA!"

The Tomb-Robber opened one eye and glare out of the window, hoping whoever dared to disturb him knew of this. Just what time was it?

09:10.

Well, it certainly could not have been Malik because his sister always made certain that the ash-blond Ishtar attended school. Why Isis felt she could not trust Malik was beyond him, Bakura snorted. Maybe it had something to with Malik's detour here on his first day at Domino High? Malik had even begged - begged meaning that Malik added a reluctant please at the end of each complain - Bakura to enrol too, because Malik was confident that he would surely go crazy if he had to endure so much time in school. Bakura only snorted a no, saying there was no chance that he'd willingly write his own death certificate ... besides, the platinum-haired spirit couldn't stand his hikari's friends and was uncertain whether he could remain 'relatively' calm being in close proximity to the Sennen Puzzle without it belonging to him.

No. Bakura certainly wouldn't waste time with something as inadequate as school, not now he owned a body of his own. Unlike the pharaoh, Bakura found his patience drawing incredibly thin with each day of 'body-sharing' with Ryou. The boy was too goody two-shoes it seemed unreal. '_Blasted hikaris! Why do they have to be so nice to every person they have contact with - it's unnatural! I don't know which is worse - my own hikari or the pharaoh's!_'

The spirit shook his head, noting that Malik was nothing like Ryou or Yugi, and he could be classified as a hikari. True, Marik himself was not a true yami, being created from all the anger and hatred Malik had endured in his childhood, but he was Malik's darker half. Thus, inevitably making Malik a form of the hikari and Marik a form of the yami...

Though, unlike Yugi and Ryou, Malik wasn't a 'goody-goody', unless he was acting or faced with his sister. The power Isis had over Malik was almost laughable. '_No, stroke that_,' Bakura decided, '_it IS laughable_...' But despite all that Malik was able to see the fun in tormenting people. True, he wasn't the same as in Battle City, but he was looking with clouded eyes and did not know of the whole truth. Not that Bakura minded a 'reformed' Malik because it would be unjust if he believed that he held any form of power over Bakura. After all, Bakura was still a yami and Malik was just an hikari and everyone was well aware that the yami has full control.

Why couldn't he have had a half decent hikari like Malik, at least that way it would be entertaining, instead of getting lectures on why he shouldn't do the things he did. But, all in all, Bakura thoroughly enjoyed occupying his own body instead of having to share his body with Ryou. He knew how to make this a reality and decided that he would refuse giving details on how it was possible ... all he told was that sacrifices had to be made, though not by him ... more like a random stranger who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or right place at the right time, Bakura concluded.

"Bakura! Bakura, you'd better open this fucking door because I know you're home! You're just still in bed, you lazy asshole! OPEN THIS DOOR!"

This caused Bakura to blink. The voice, which was relatively high-pitched, sounded very familiar. A mixture of frustration and curiosity caused him to throw the bed covers off and quickly pulling on his usual clothes - jeans, a t-shirt and another shirt over the top of that. He was putting the shirt on as he violently tugged the curtains back, squinting as the dark room was filled with brilliant light.

Bakura didn't have to look long to see that his suspicions were confirmed. "It was Malik I heard," he muttered, seeing the Egyptian's beloved bike parked outside. He padded across the room and made a slow journey to open the door, after all, he had just been abruptly woken. He was curious as to why Malik was here because Malik had promised, _without_ crossing his fingers; to go to school after Isis had threatened to sell off his bike for spare parts. Anything else and Malik would have put up more of a fight, but when his bike was involved he would do nothing to harm it. '_Funny_,' Bakura thought, '_that Malik treats that bike better than he treats everyone else..._'

The threat had immediately made the other aware of the consequences and he reluctantly agreed to attend school.

"BAKURA!"

Now fully awake, Bakura sniggered as he listened to Malik scream frantically, viciously pounding on the glass frame of the door. Whatever the Egyptian wanted must be urgent...

"It had better be urgent or else he's going to wish that he'd got to school instead of waking me at this unruly hour..."

"Open this door!"

Suddenly, the spirit of the Sennen Ring stopped and looked at the door. Because of the glass, Bakura could see the outline of Malik's figure but he could have sworn that last demand that was screeched was far too feminine to be Malik's voice. He grasped the handle and opened the door, almost being knocked back as Malik pushed his way past.

"What the on earth is this all about, Egyptian?" he demanded in his gruff tone, closing the door and turning to face Malik, whose back was towards him. He stared at Malik for a moment, confused beyond belief. Taking longer than expected, Bakura looked at Malik. He noticed something different but did not voice his thought, though it did constantly creep into his mind. '_Since when had Malik been so ... curvy_?' Half of him scolded himself for taking such a long time to stare at his friend, but he was certain that Malik did not have the figure he had now. With all the short shirts and the tight clothes he wore, anyone could tell that Malik had a straight and slender figure ... not curvy.

"Malik?" Bakura asked, stepping forward.

"I - I think something happened last night, Bakura ... with that spell you read - the wrong one..."

Bakura's brows knitted together in bewilderment. He was only too pleased that there was no one present to see the muddled expression that was foreign to him. What Malik had just said only caused his curiosity to grow larger than before. What could have possibly gone wrong? Whatever it was had caused Malik to act in such a peculiar way.

"What is wrong with you? You seem all right to me," he sneered, wondering whether Malik would take the bait and tell him exactly what was wrong out of anger. Sometimes the blond Egyptian was too easy to read with his emotions - well, the emotions he showed at least, which was anger, sarcasm, spitefulness, mischief and just general teenage behaviour, which includes the pressures of a damaging childhood, a light mental disorder (a.k.a. Marik) and the influences of a vindictive Tomb-Robber.

"No, I'm not all right, Bakura!" Malik shot, turning around on his heel and giving Bakura the perfect opportunity to gain a better look at him.

Shock overcame Bakura as he stepped backwards; thankful the door was there to fully support his weight because the sight that greeted him was not the sight he expected to see. Malik was standing there ... but...

"This is impossible..." he muttered, eyes wide, staring aghast at Malik. How was this possible? How in Re's name had Malik turned from an exotic looking boy to a strikingly beautiful girl?

To be continued...


	3. Chapter Two: This Is So Unnatural

**Author's Note: **Thank you to those who have reviewed and added me to their faves list. I'm so harry. Right ... first I appologise for the lateness thin this chapter ... I have only just recently finished my university degree ... the handing date for my thesis was a few days ago.

**Chapter Two**

**This is So Unnatural**

**Note: **From this chapter onwards, Malik will be written as 'she' and 'her' unless it is referring to the past where Malik was a he/him.

The school uniform that Malik wore concealed most of her figure but even Bakura could easily tell that the clothes covered a female figure. The blue trousers that Malik wore hugged his ... or her ... hips tightly than before and because Malik refused to wear the matching blazer Bakura could see the obvious change to Malik's chest. Malik's school shirt was only one of the articles of clothing she owned that wasn't tight but just fitting, but with the newly acquired breasts that was no longer the case. Her shoulders weren't broad anymore and for the first time since Malik had turned around did Bakura look at her face. There had been a few people who had said that Malik had a feminine face (or was it because of the hair, clothes and jewellery?) but now Bakura was beginning to wholeheartedly agree with them, though not for the obvious change in body. To Bakura, Malik's face still resembled that of the male Malik but with changes that would make anyone stop to observe the exotic Egyptian. Higher cheekbones, rosy pouting lips and overall a softer complexion, which facilitated in gracing a voluptuous body.

Noticing that Bakura's crimson eyes had lingered on her long enough, her face mantled with embarrassment. It did not help that she suddenly woke to find herself looking this way, the last thing she needed was Bakura to snort a cynical comment about her looks. Malik had never been conscious of _his_ body before. '_Well,' _Malik scoffed, '_the body I was born with anyway!'_ Though, there was a limit as to how far Malik showed his body because of the hideous scars on his back, but he could get away with wearing the clothes he wore without revealing anything. But now, with a female body and being under the scrutiny of Bakura's gaze, did Malik feel uncertainly seep into the back of her mind.

Finally, in hope of drawing Bakura's eyes away from her, Malik spoke truthfully. "Do you have to stare?" she asked, softly, embarrassment clear in her words.

Malik's voice was another thing that was affected by this change, Bakura noted, it sounded soft and he was now able to hear the Egyptian accent that Malik was unable to hide as well as she could when she was male. There had been a few times (Bakura could count the times on one hand) that he had noticed the accent slip into Malik's voice when certain words were spoken. Not that it really mattered but Bakura did sometimes wonder why the Tomb-Keeper hid his accent and just how long the other took to master the art of fully concealing the accent because if it did sound anything like it did now then it would be a strong accent.

Before Bakura had any time to think before speaking, a muffled "sorry" crept from his lips, the words barely coherent. Though it was a near silent apology, Malik heard and had the circumstances been any different Malik would have taunted the albino, saying that deep beneath than ice-cold exterior was a warm heart. But this was neither the time nor place for such jokes...

"How did this happen?" he asked Malik finally, getting over the initial shock that one of his only 'friends' was now a girl.

"I don't know," Malik whispered, looking away from Bakura. "I was wondering whether this had anything to do with that spell you read last night..." Malik looked back quickly and flashed Bakura an unreadable grin before speaking. "...And whether this is your _grand plan _because I'm uncertain whether to believe this is ingenious or just plain stupid!"

"Nope," Bakura said, almost as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The last comment that Malik made seemed like something the blond Egyptian would say and made Bakura wonder whether Malik had accepted what had happened, or at least gotten over the initial shock. He lazily walked past and threw himself onto a chair, watching as Malik followed his lead and sat on the sofa. "But I'm really beginning to wish that I did. It would be rather amusing to see the pharaoh's face as he found out he was a girl ... and Shadi as a girl - actually, that's just plain wrong."

"I quite agree with you there and I would be more than happy to assist in reaping such havoc on the pharaoh's life ... but coming back to the problem at hand, if you will?" Malik said, hastily. The bright glint that was present in Malik's eyes at fond memories of wanting to ruin Yami and the other soon disappeared at the present memory that 'he' was now a 'she'. "So," she began, pulling up her legs and sitting cross-legged on the couch, "you're saying that this is not your master plan?"

"No, I was just planning on using that spell to render you unconscious, giving me more than enough time to steal the Sennen Items and getting the power I crave," Bakura stated, simply. "Possibly ... a very high possibility actually ... resulting in your throat being cut."

At first Malik just chortled but that soon turned into laugher, the soft noise a contrast to the harsh laugh Malik was accustomed to. Bakura raised an accusing, yet curious brow. If anything, Malik sounded rather sincere, which Malik didn't know the meaning of, so how could he/she express such emotion?

"How very ingenious. I wish I had thought of that when I wanted the God Cards..."

Bakura narrowed his eyes dangerously at the sight of the female, laugh hard at HIM! He'd show Malik, just because the Egyptian was now female didn't mean that she could get away with trying to mock and upstage him. Just because Malik was his associate and no longer on the receiving end of his wrath meant nothing as his lips curled, his pale face taking on a cynical set.

"At least _I'm_ not a woman," he taunted, almost in a child-like manner. The soft noise that echoed in the room immediately ceased as Malik's amethyst eyes narrowed, her cheeks dark with ire, lips tight with anger. Bakura's smirk stayed on his pale face as a sardonic laugh erupted from his lips. "You've been a girl for a few hours and already you're suffering from PMS."

"This is not funny, Bakura! I'm a woman!"

Still, Bakura refused to back down, finding another way to push Malik to the edge. "My, you are observant today, Malik. Well, at least you have prior experience of being a woman, so you know what to expect and how to react."

"What are you talking about, you blasted-"

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you, Malik, considering you came to _me _to help with your miniscule problem," he reminded. "And I referring to Battle City, where you inhabited Téa's body."

The scornful expression left the girl's face. "I really don't see how that compares to this - that was completely different, Bakura."

"How so?" the thief inquired, leaning forward, arching a platinum brow.

To Malik the answer was obvious. So why could Bakura not understand? "Because that was not _my_ body - it was Téa's ... and I only inhabited her body for important things, like speaking with my sister, confronting Marik and returning your ring to you. Other than that I was just in the back of Téa's mind, where I was still myself - but I've had no _real_ experience of being female. Now I'm female in my _own_ body - not somebody else's ... mine..."

"It could be worse," he simply said.

"How so?" Malik asked, mimicking Bakura's early movements by leaning forward too.

"As I told you last night, you should be grateful that you haven't sprouted feline ears, paws and a tail..."

As carefree as the sentence was, Bakura still spoke in a gruff, serious voice. At first when her friend said that it could be worse, Malik assumed that Bakura would say something of use, instead of saying something to mock her further.

"I think I would have preferred thatto _this_," the blonde mentioned, placing a hand on her chest and patting to emphasis what she meant.

"So you'd rather be more of a freak than you already are?" Bakura inquired, rather surprised at Malik's choice.

Seeing this, the Egyptian smiled. "At least I'd still be male..."

"You'd be a living circus attraction and I'd be too ashamed to be seen dead with you," he exclaimed bluntly. "I'd be the first person to blow the whistle on you. You'll be carted away to some freak show or zoo and I'd hold claims and get all the money. It's actually a win-win situation if you think about it in the same ruby-coloured light as I am."

"Sure it is," Malik muttered. "But seriously, Bakura, what am I going to do? Both Isis and Rashid will be suspicious if I avoid them until this wears off," she argued, her voice calming at the thought of this ending and life returning to normal. Being a boy again, going to school and wishing a black hole would swallow him whole, tormenting Yugi and the Pharaoh, getting into a full frontal argument with Joey, who was too hot-headed for his own good. He would even sit and _listen_ to Isis ramble on about friends.

When this was over...

"Malik, has it ever occurred that this may be permanent change?" Bakura replied seriously, waking the blonde from her reverie.

To be continued...


	4. Chapter Four: There Are No Flowers

**Author's Note: **Okay, firstly I'd like to thank those who have taken their time and effort to leaving me a review. It's greatly appreciated. Secondy, I have gotten the results of my uni degree :D. I only found out on Sat when I went to a friends wedding and she told me ... apparently ALL the results were publically announced. Oh well ... I'm happy about that ... I can relax and write. Enjoy...

**Chapter Three**

**There Are No Flowers This Time**

Bakura almost felt an emotion that made him sorry for having to be the one to disappoint Malik but the truth had to come out. There was no real purpose in looking on the bright side because half of the time there was none. At first, maybe, but after that there really was no telling what could occur, meaning that there was no point it looking towards a blinding light only to find a dark disappointment waiting there patiently. It was a common emotion that everyone felt - disappointment. Similar to that of a snake, always finding a way to catch its prey yet slithering out unknown most times and when it succeeded, if the prey was not already dead, what was the possibility of even finding an antidote if the creature cannot be found to retrieve it?

When thought in a logical way, it was natural to look to the downside first. That was what human's do ... think of the dark times and wallow in their own pits of shame and self-loathing when all they need to do is find the small ray of light that can vanquish the evil. But is there any real purpose in forgetting the calm before the storm? In remaining vulnerable for the hurt to kill two times as hard? Being built up only to be knocked back down?

But then again, there was that small thing called pride to contend with. Those proud ones who refuse to let anything knock them down, refusing to let anyone see a flicker of emotion that could be retraced in the future and used as a possible downfall. That old saying to take to good with the bad ... there is not one person alive that has never felt this and if so, they are clearly lying. Though to some people, this can be worse if they are prone to upset and have seen too many dark times, but a dark time is a dark time, no matter how some may perceive it. If that horrible emotion of hurt, betrayal, upset, disappointment and sadness creeps into the back of a human mind then that is an evident time of emotion for them, even if brought on by an insignificant time or event.

When people are in this phases they feel no one can fully understand them, and clearly, Bakura could not understand what Malik was going through, and never would. All he could fully content with was that it had not happened to him, so that was all right then. It never occurred to him how Malik must feel to wake up and realise that 'she' was no longer a 'he'. Also, Bakura mused, there could be a high possibility that this really was his fault for reading the wrong spell, but he would not admit that nor let it bother him, because it had happened to Malik and not him, so what was the sense in letting it concern him? What's done is done. Besides, there was no indication this would happened in the spell he read.

"What do you mean? This isn't permanent because I'm assuming that a word in the spell was changed and unless you were planning on leaving me in an unconscious state for all eternity, though I would not put that past a despicable Tomb-Robber such as yourself, but I'll just continue to assume that this is mishap should only be temporarily - until the spell wears off. Right?" she concluded in a tremulous voice.

Was she trying to convince Bakura or herself of that?

"You should never take Egyptian magic too lightly, Malik, though I'm certain you are already fully aware of that. Now before you go off on another girly tangent, listen to me! I'm not saying this will be permanent but I believe it would be best for you to look on the down side, instead of the bright side, at least if this is permanent then you'll be expecting it."

Malik sighed downhearted as she rested her chin on her hands. "And just how do I go about doing that? How am I supposed to live like _this_ ... I'm Malik Ishtar - a male! What about my family - and I suppose school too..."

The platinum-haired spirit watched Malik closely, observing every small movement that he had never imagined Malik doing. To him, it was oddly fascinating to see the blond express so much weakness. Now, at the worse possible time, Malik had let down all her defences, but for how long, Bakura was unsure. Despite most things Malik was strong-willing when it came to emotions, constantly hiding what she both felt and thought, unless it was a common emotion that everyone in the past had already seen ... meaning Battle City.

If Bakura actually thought about it, he was one of the only few who had the '_honour_' of witnessing Malik expressing deep and meaningful emotion. Emotions that everyone assumed Malik Ishtar was unable to express. But the albino was confident that Malik would return to how she used to be soon enough, possibly in a matter of days, that was if Bakura knew the blond as well as he thought he did.

Bakura had always preferred to know about his enemies, which was a certified way of finding their weaknesses, and an enemy is what Malik had been at first - though not on the same lines as the pharaoh and his hikari. With Malik, it instantly struck Bakura odd that the Egyptian would be so willing to hand the Sennen Rod over once it had all been done with, which Bakura still hadn't seen hide nor hair of.

After the whole Battle City Tournament had passed everything seemed to fall perfectly into place. It was shortly after this time that Bakura acquired a body of his own and an arrangement was sought between himself and his hikari. It was entirely true that Ryou was too nice for his own good and, as Bakura had kindly stated many times over, also a complete pushover. But saying that, even Ryou had his limits and his temper could almost rival that of Bakura's (without the threats that Bakura would possible adhere to) but still, that only happened once in a lifetime.

So the yami separated from the hikari. Bakura was pleased because this meant that he no longer had to share his body with a weed who had to attend school. The platinum-haired spirit had taken control of his body a few times at school and decided from that day forth it would be easier to remain in his soul room and torment Ryou from there. Ryou was delighted because he no longer had to worry about waking up in stage places and having to share _his_ body with an ancient spirit who had an unhealthy addition to meat and all things sharp and bloody. That in itself was a treasure.

When news travelled around that the museum had re-opened, Bakura was not interested in least, but after spending so much time with Ryou, Bakura began to realise that it was better to terrorise innocent people when there was someone else there to appreciate it. Ryou had tried explaining that it was just a normal human desire and need to have friends. Bakura retorted, sneering that Ryou had no right to compare him with the likes of pathetic mortal beings, which then resulting in the platinum-haired hikari sniggering at the yami's bitterness. In the end, Bakura decided that it would be unwise to stay in such close proximity to Ryou because he was uncertain about whether he would be unable to refrain from wringing the other's neck. That later entailed Bakura to storm out of the house and follow his feet, which ironically lead him to Malik's door.

Bakura continued to observe Malik and wondered briefly whether the blonde would break down into tears, like any normal female would. '_No,_' Bakura decided, '_Malik isn't a normal female ... can I even classify him as a her?_' It did strike the Tomb-Robber as amusing but he knew that Malik, even in a female form, would never lower herself to act like a petty woman.

"What am I going to do, Bakura?" she asked, her voice sinking to that of a whisper. "What am I going to do?"

Before Bakura had a change to consider what he was saying, the words left his mouth. "You could stay here, you know."

Malik looked up, surprised. "Are you serious?"

"There is a spare room and I know that Ryou won't mind ... you are his friend, after all."

"Really?" she said, shocked still. It seemed such an unusual thing for Bakura to do. Ryou, yes. Bakura ... no...

"I'll take that offer back then, shall I?" he grumbled, looking at Malik.

Still after hearing the spirit say that for another time, Malik was uncertain whether to believe it or not. '_This blasted spell must be making me think like a woman_,' Malik mused. "You really wouldn't mind me staying here?" she asked, again.

Bakura rolled his eyes, feeling the urge to either bang his head against a wall or Malik's. How many times did he have to repeat himself over? "You can stay, I said that already! You'll be in charge of your sister and brother because I'm not going to deal with them. How you're going to explain that you're staying here and not going to school is not my concern."

"Thanks, Bakura," Malik smiled.

The platinum-haired boy grunted and looked away quickly. Why the hell had he just invited Malik to stay? He knew that Ryou would let the ash-blond boy ... '_Girl ... Malik's a girl now_,' he reminded himself. So that was it, a girl was going to be living with Bakura and Ryou. An amusing thought flitted through his mind as he imagined Malik being Malik and wearing little clothes and walking casually around the house. '_Ryou would probably have a nosebleed if he sees Malik walking around in only a towel. He gets embarrassed when sex scenes are on the TV ... or is it because I'm there and tease him about it?_'

"What's so funny?" Malik inquired, finding it peculiar that the boy would just suddenly began sniggering for no reason.

"Nothing," he replied, looking at the clock.

12:20. Where had all the time gone?

A pregnant pause followed but the Egyptian soon put an end to that with a strange request. "Bakura?" she asked in a shy tone.

"What?"

"I know this may sound strange but could I borrow a shirt? Mine's too tight and you wear baggier clothes than I do..."

The Tomb-Robber raised a fine brow but said nothing as he pulled off his light-blue shirt and threw it to Malik.

"Thanks," she muttered and began to unbutton her white school shirt. A sudden realisation filled her mind that she wasn't able of changing completely in front of Bakura and that the spirit was not intending of telling Malik to change elsewhere. Malik turned around and quickly changed, attempting to avoid showing the scars on her back as best she could. It would have been easier to change in the kitchen, but now it was too late. Malik smiled a "thank you" as she turned and finished buttoning the shirt, leaving the top two open.

Bakura found himself returning a half smile at Malik. She certainly wasn't as shy as most girls, he laughed. But that was Malik all over. He sat further into the chair and felt himself relaxing, also having the feeling that Malik was finally able to relax somewhat. Though that was short lived as he could clearly hear voices at the door and saw Malik shooting into the kitchen.

"Bakura, is Malik here?" Ryou asked in his soft voice, the English accent clear, as he closed the door behind him.

To be continued...


	5. Chapter Four: Like a Lost Child

**Author's Note: **Like usual - thank you for the reviews. They really are greatly appreciated ... it's nice knowing that people are actually enjoying the stories I write :)

**Chapter Four**

**Like A Lost Child**

Bakura just glared at his hikari when he walked into his own home. Why did Ryou have to bring those pathetic friends of his back to the house? He didn't trust the pharaoh for a moment, still believing that as soon as his back was turned he wouldn't waste a moment in sending him on a one-way trip to the Shadow Realm. He would find a way of retuning, he always did, but the Shadow Realm was still an awful place to be. He was convinced that it was because of Ryou that he wasn't sent to the Shadow Realm once the pharaoh discovered he had a body of his own. Ryou putting in a good word for him. Bakura wasn't too pleased when he found this out, in fact he lost track of the threats he said to Ryou, telling him that if he ever did that again he would live to regret it. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful, he wasn't but it did help to have help on the other side. It gave him more time to devise a foolproof plan to get the Sennen Items.

The thief flashed a saturnine smile, his crimson eyes darkening as he watched Joey, Tristan and Téa scurry far away from him. The pharaoh's hikari didn't seem as anxious as Bakura had hoped, but when he – or rather, Yami – had the power to send him to the Shadow Realm so he wasn't too concerned with the effect he had on him. The only one who dared to approach him was his hikari, though what was to be expected? It was probably a shock for Ryou to see him this early, which could explain why he brought his friends back.

A thought flitted across his mind about how many times the pharaoh and his hikari had been downstairs while he had been sleeping and dreaming of ways to bleed the pharaoh dry of blood while he sat back and watched with a baleful expression on his face. If only those dreams were a reality … it would make Bakura's day.

Suddenly remembering that Ryou was waiting patiently for a reply, Bakura answered in an uninterested voice. "Why? What gave you that idea?"

"Well, aside from the fact that Malik wasn't in school today and his bike is outside…"

"Yes, hikari, Malik is here," he sighed.

Ryou looked around, attempting to find said Egyptian. Bakura almost felt sorry for Malik – having Yugi and his pathetic little friends finding out that he is now a she. It was such a humiliatingly pleasant thought. As in, humiliating for Malik and pleasant for him…

He followed Ryou's hazel eyes and quickly looked towards the kitchen. '_Maybe I should help Malik out … since he's practically incapable of doing anything without my assistance…_' he wondered and swiftly slid from his chair and into the kitchen.

"Malik?" he whispered.

The ash-blonde girl appeared behind him, a panicked expression shrouding her face. "Bakura, how am I going to get myself out of this one?"

Bakura looked around once more into the living area, deciding that it would only be a short while before Ryou or one of his friends ventured into the kitchen, inevitably discovering Malik's newly acquired secret. An idea crept into his mind and he wondered just how well it would work in this situation.

Now wasn't the time to be uncertain, he scolded, and pulled off his stripped t-shirt and roughly handed it to Malik.

"Here! Put this on under the shirt," he said in a demanding tone.

"Huh? What good will that do?" she blinked, absently playing with the article of clothing in her hands.

"Hopefully, with the t-shirt on and the shirt fully buttoned up, it might disguise your … chest…"

Malik stared at the clothing, understanding dawning suddenly on her. "Then I can possibly get away with actually being like myself again…"

This time Bakura did turn around as the female changed and kept an ever-watchful eye on the others to make certain they did not walk in. Why he did this, he was unsure of himself. Wouldn't he have normally left Malik to stew and laughed grimly at the other's misfortune?

It was Joey's annoying laugh that dragged the Tomb-Robber from his reverie, making him aware that this plan of his would arose suspicion. What with him walking into the kitchen wearing his usual t-shirt and then walking out with a completely different shirt on and then to wrap things up, Malik wearing the t-shirt AND shirt Bakura was usually accustomed to.

Shrugging his shoulders, Bakura left his position at the door and reached over for another shirt.

"Bakura, what are you doing?" Ryou asked softly, walking into the kitchen. He had seen his yami walk into his kitchen and the spark of wonder was immediately flaring. The British boy was ever sick and tired and Bakura breaking things because he simply refused to listen to reason (after all, Bakura had his pride to content with and that did not entail him willingly listening to a single thing his hikari had to say). '_So_,' Ryou decided, '_if this time is anything like the endless string of others, it means the kitchen is in danger of losing another vital appliance…' _

The platinum-haired hikari, upon walking into the cream-coloured kitchen, blinked and an expression of pure confusion flitted across his face. He rubbed his eyes but looked he continued to see what he had just seen previously. '_Why is Bakura wearing a completely different shirt?' _he wondered silently.

"Erm, Bakura…" he stammered and trailed off as he caught a glimpse of another figure in the corner of his eye. Instantly recognising the lightly coloured hair to be that of Malik's, Ryou said, "Oh, hi Malik. I was just wondering why you weren't in school earlier."

Malik's back was turned towards him and Ryou said nothing about the fact that he was wearing Bakura's shirt. Ryou just shot a quizzical look to his yami, who was watching Malik strangely.

"Malik?" he asked again, stepping forward. He was startled when the Egyptian suddenly turned on the spot.

"Yeah … I wasn't feeling too great so I decided to pay Bakura a visit – to pass the time while Isis and Rashid are at work…" Malik replied, trying desperately to hide the Egyptian accent.

Ryou stared, his hazel eyes narrowing slightly from confusion. He stopped himself quickly, remembering that it was rude to stare, but that still did not answer why Malik's voice sounded … different. In his staring he was able to take note of what the tanned teenager was wearing – Bakura's shirt with the blue-stripped t-shirt underneath.

Malik wondered whether Ryou was able to see the heat rushing into her cheeks because she could certainly feel it. She closed her eyes momentarily, staring deeply to the floor, trying as much to conceal her face with her hair. True, if Malik was to stay here with both Ryou and Bakura then it was only logical for the British boy to find out about her little secret. If anything, she had no problem with Ryou finding out … it was Yugi that she wanted to keep in the lurch. Yugi and the others. If they ever found out – '_I'd never live it down. Never!' _

"Oh, you must be really ill, Malik. You sound just terrible. Shouldn't you really be at home instead of being here with Bakura? That seems like the reasonable thing to do because you certainly won't get any peace with him around."

That comment was replied with a grunt from Bakura, but Ryou decided it was best to ignore Bakura for the time being. His friend was sick.

"Have you been to see the doctor? You seem rather flushed … maybe I should stay home? There is supposed to be this 'super bug' going around, after all … it's rather similar the flu. Maybe you have that? Or some other kind of illness. I think I should take you to the doctor to make sure…" Ryou continued to witter on about this 'super bug' as he walked next to Malik and mentioned that he should get rest. "You can rest in the spare room. I'll get you a drink – do you want a drink? Of course you do … silly me, when you're ill you need to drink fluids more frequently or else you'll get dehydrated."

Malik shot a pleading look to Bakura as Ryou swept past to make a drink for the ash-blond female and rummaged through cupboards too. It was only when Ryou was about to put his hand to Malik's forehead to check for a temperature that Bakura intervened.

"Hikari, shut up!"

Ryou shopped with his hand in midair and look over towards his yami, who was glaring at him with a dark expression.

"Malik doesn't need to be fussed over like some little child," Bakura growled and grabbed Malik's arm, harder than intended, as he dragged the female towards the door. "Like you said … Malik needs rest … and he was just leaving too. _Weren't you_, Malik?" he prompted.

Malik gasped at the pain from the spirit's firm grip and just nodded mindlessly. She could see Ryou blinking at the display of erratic behaviour … but what could really be expected from Bakura?

"Oh," Ryou said slowly, finally letting his hand drop. "If you're sure?"

"Thanks for the offer anyway, Ryou," she replied.

Ryou nodded and said, "Would you like me to walk with you? If you're sick, I don't think it would be wise for you to ride your bike."

"That won't be necessary, hikari," Bakura interrupted in a bored voice. "I'll make sure Malik gets back in one piece."

With that, the platinum-haired thief pulled Malik out of the kitchen and through the living room, not before delivering a series of dark glares to each of his hikari's friends before opening the front door.

Ryou walked from the kitchen. "Are you sure you'll be fine, Malik?" he asked, making a small dash for his friend, bemused emotions flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry, hikari, I'm with him," Bakura shouted back, still not loosening his grip on Malik's arm. Ryou heard the Egyptian shout a goodbye before they were out of sight.

"That's what I'm worried about," he spoke to himself, stepping out of the door to see whether he could see anything of Malik and his strangely behaved yami. Bakura's behaviour had puzzled him. He was used to different types of behaviour from Bakura and had sort of grown accustomed to it. He was more than aware of Bakura's short temper, as well as his bizarre habits. But, as long as he stayed on the spirit's good side, there was nothing to worry over.

He shook his head as he walked back into the house and closed the door. He turned around and saw the equally bemused faces of his friends and wondered what they had to say about Bakura's behaviour. It would definitely prove to be an interesting choice of topic, he smiled.

To be continued…


	6. Chapter Five: Cinders Fall Like Snow

**Author's Note: **Like usual - thank you for the reviews. They really are greatly appreciated ... it's nice knowing that people are actually enjoying the stories I write :)

**Chapter Five**

**Cinders Fall Like Snow**

Bakura eventually loosened his grip on Malik's wrist before letting go completely, but that was only because the tanned teenager had begun to complain. In all honesty, Bakura was not even aware that it was hurting Malik. '_Maybe this sudden transformation has lessened Malik's tolerance for pain_,' he wondered, '_because everyone knows that women are the weaker sex. But still, after all the pain Malik had to endure, you'd think he (I'm never going to get used to the idea of calling 'he' a 'she') would have an high tolerance for it even with this.'_

As expected, Bakura didn't apologise for the inconvenience caused and Malik didn't expect anything from him. They continued to walk in silence, crossing the road to take the short cut through the park. Malik unbuttoned the shirt and then placed her hands at the back of her head, smiling contently as the cooling breeze blew through her ashen hair. She looked around at the full grown trees and flowers underneath. It was so much different to Egypt and there were still many things that fascinated her no matter how many times she would see it, such as seeing the stars at night. If anything, being confined underground for a good deal of her childhood made Malik realise that nothing should be taken for granted.

Deciding that the silence was too much, Malik spoke up. "Thanks for helping me out back there," she laughed.

The other grunted a reply, to which Malik nodded. She could tell when it was best to leave things well enough alone, especially when Bakura was in one of those moods where he spoke very little.

"You can go back you know," the girl said finally. "I never did say I was sorry for waking you (and I won't either), so you can go back to bed – despite it being after twelve, but that's never stopped you before."

Bakura just sighed lazily as he thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans and continued to randomly kick the pebbles that littered the pathway. "I suppose you'll need help with your stuff," he spoke up finally.

Blink. "What?"

The thief stopped and looked at Malik with an expression that could be seen as mild exasperation. "Obviously when you changed into a female, your brain cells diminished with it. You will be staying with Ryou and I until this all blows over – so to speak." He grinned as he bent down to grab a handful of pebbles before looking over to a group of young teenagers, all wearing school uniforms, sitting on the swings at the play area, smoking cigarettes and drinking cider. "Consider yourself lucky that I even offered," he said, throwing the first pebble and sniggering at it hit the back of a raven-haired girl's head. She turned around and blinked, unable to see who had thrown the stone due to the trees and bushes. "I could have just left you to tell everyone that you had decided that it was getting too much for you to hide the feminine feelings that constantly took over your puny mind, and the best option was a sex change operation."

Malik's mouth fell open in shock at hearing what Bakura was saying. She stuttered slightly and Bakura threw another pebble at the boy lighting a cigarette before looking back at her.

"Like anyone is going to believe a far-fetched story such as that, especially considering that operations such as that cost a hell of a lot of money," she told him.

The platinum-haired thief raised a mocking brow. "An expert in the cost of sex change operations, Malik? Any particular reason? Could it be that I was drawing near to the truth than expected, but you were never given the opportune moment to complete your main purpose in life? Maybe this story won't be as far-fetched as you claim it to be. As for the cost, well, taking it into consideration that you were desperate for money, I believe whoring yourself off would be your best chance. That would be most plausible, I believe," he said, savouring the shocked expression Malik wore.

"Are you trying to say that I'm nothing but a cheep whore!? Because if you are-"

"I said nothing of the sort, Malik. It would seem that you need to be able to fully comprehend what others are saying before you try speaking for yourself."

Amethyst eyes narrowed and cheeks flushed with ire as Malik spoke next. "I know what I heard, Tomb-Robber!" she said slowly.

Bakura deliberately ignored Malik while he threw two more pebbles to the group of youths, sniggering at the haughty replies of:

"Hey! Who keeps throwing stones at me!?"

"What the fuck!?"

"Ow, my eye!"

"I was merely helping to create an authentic story for your predicament," he told her plainly.

"'Authentic'? If that's what you call an 'authentic' story, Bakura, I'd hate to see what a far-fetched story is," Malik replied, the irritation of earlier wearing off. She cursed herself at getting so frustrated but thinking back on what had happened in the past couple of hours. Who could possibly blame her? But it did make her wonder just what she would tell Isis and Rashid. 'The truth would be a start … I guess … it's always a great place to start – that and the beginning…' she argued, sneaking a quick glance over to Bakura, who was back to throwing more pebbles at the teenagers and at a more frequent and intense pace, too. She couldn't stop herself from laughing at the expression on the teenagers' faces as they finally realised where the pebbles were coming from.

"I want get that little brat with the blonde hair … she offends me," he told Malik, preparing to throw that last stone in his hand at the young blonde girl, who looked positively scared, hiding behind a red-haired boy, who looked too much like a timid school-girl for his own good. Malik was actually surprised Bakura hadn't targeted him instead of the girl.

Then again, looking at the floor it was easy to see which of the youths had been pelted with pebbles, and none of them were let off lightly. When the raven-haired girl glared in the direction of the bush, Bakura laughed darkly and looked around for a larger stone to throw at the group but when he couldn't find one he decided to leave it at that.

Bakura turned to look at Malik and smirked triumphantly. "You want to go or stay here for round two?"

Malik looked around at the large clock in the middle of the park. It was already 2 o'clock already? Where had the time gone? Surely they hadn't spent that much time in the park tormenting teenagers? "Well, Rashid gets back at four and Isis doesn't come home until the museum is closed, which varies in between five and six. So would it be all right for me to get my stuff?" she asked.

"Whatever," Bakura muttered.

Malik nodded and began to walk where they had originally planned before getting distracted before stopping to look back at the tomb-robber. "What about Ryou though?" she asked. "Will this be all right with him, I mean?"

"Just leave Ryou to me," he replied, as he began to walked away to take to leave; only to be stopped when he felt something hard hit his head. Crimson eyes narrowed dangerously as he snarled at what happened. "Bastards! If those blasted brats think they can get away with throwing stones at this Tomb-Robber, then they are greatly mistaken."

Malik smirked widely, taking a sidelong glance at Bakura, as she picked up a large handful of pebbles. "Round two?"

"And when I've finished with them they'll be one a one-way trip to the Shadow Realm," Bakura sneered with a twisted smile, taking the pebbles from Malik's hand and throwing them harder, not caring at the protests and scared complains coming from the youths.

To be continued…

To be continued…


	7. Six: Quietly Bear this Pain with Pride

**Chapter Six**

**Quietly Bear This Pain With Pride**

Finally, after one hour and thirty minutes of making sure that each youth had been in a considerable amount of pain, both Malik and Bakura decided that they were the clear victors of the match and left the group to tend to each other's injuries. No doubt that they would all be in dire need of a trip to the hospital, especially that blonde girl who Bakura had managed to, in some way, blind in her right eye. It was their own faults and this was a harsh lesson they had to learn about life … do not challenge who you cannot see nor hear…

After arriving back at Malik's home, Bakura had instantly made himself at home by throwing himself down onto the couch and placing his feet on the coffee table. Malik just shook her head and progressed up the stairs with heavy sigh. What Bakura did was typical behaviour of the platinum-haired spirit. Bakura would infuriate Isis and he was fully aware of this, causing him to continue. In a way, this behaviour reminded Malik of a bull-fighter tormenting a bull with the colour red. In the end, Isis refused to stay in the same room as the Tomb-Robber but there really was nothing the female Egyptian could do.

Upstairs, Malik pulled off the clothes Bakura had loaned her and quickly put on the usual purple top that she was accustomed to wearing. She looked down at herself as best she could and a small smile appeared on her face. The top fit still, even if more flash was revealed, but that was something Malik could live with. However, trousers were another story altogether.

"Now what?" she mumbled, opening the drawers to pull out all the trousers she owned. She placed them on her bed and placed her hands on her hips. "Okay, that's most of my pants that won't fit. Calm down, Malik, you'll be just fine. I'll leave this to the fact that my hips have gotten that little bit wider, that's all – blasted Bakura!"

She sighed once more and stole a quick glance back to her drawers and smiled upon suddenly remembering that there were some articles of clothing that would still fit her. She dropped to the ground with a small thud and opened the drawer, pulling out a pair of navy jogging pants.

"I always knew there was a really reason why I had these," she laughed lightly. "I never thought school would come as an otherwise good use. Thank Re for sports lessons."

Quickly Malik began to undress, mentally counting the pairs of jogging pants she owned. The number was a small one. '_Does that mean I have to buy new clothes? Maybe if I diet I could fit into my old clothes…_' Upon that thought, Malik stopped what she was doing. "I can't believe I just thought that – that was a very female, long-term thought! I'm not going to be like this long enough! I'm going to change back into my male body any minute now…"

"Has anyone ever told you that talking to yourself is the very first sign of insanity?" came a familiar voice that snapped the Egyptian from her thoughts. "But then again, you're already lost in your own little world of insanity."

"Don't you ever knock? I didn't hear you come in. I'm trying to get dressed here!" she snapped, picking up the navy pants and pulling them on quickly.

Bakura sniggered at the ash-blonde female. "Could have fooled me, especially just standing there talking to yourself."

"I was not," she told him, and continued to pull out the clothes she could take with her.

"You were standing there for two minutes, muttering to yourself," the thief stated, leaning on the wall, watching Malik.

Malik stood up and prepared to argue that she did nothing of the sort when another thought occurred to her. "You were watching me getting dressed?"

Bakura's face almost faltered but he only retorted with a dark smile and a comment. "No, I was watching the deterioration of your mind, the fact that you were standing there in only a top and your underwear had nothing to do with it."

Malik narrowed her amethyst eyes at the pale-skinned tomb-robber, who merely looked as if nothing had happened. "We'd better hurry – if your offer still stands, that is…"

"Malik?" he spoke, picking up a black rucksack and throwing it roughly at Malik, who would have been hit in the face if she hadn't caught it.

The female opened the bag and threw some clothing in. "Yes," she replied.

"Have you ever heard of this modern phrase that goes along the lines of 'dumb blonde'? Well, I'm one-hundred percent convinced that you belong to that category, especially after all the dumb-assed things you've said today."

She looked up from the bed and stared at Bakura. "Are you trying to say that I'm stupid?"

Bakura just crossed his arms and sneered, "No, scratch that, I'm ninety-nine percent certain."

Malik growled and zipped the bag forcefully, saying, "Listen here, you! Why don't you try living like _this_ plus try to string together a clear chain of coherent thoughts good enough to have a well-thought out conversation!"

"Quit with the melodramatics, Malik, you're such a drama queen," Bakura sneered, which was followed by a low-toned laugh.

The blonde Egyptian glared at Bakura, her cheeks flushed dark with ire. "Look, Bakura, you don't have to keep reminding me that I'm now a girl because it's not like I'm going to forget anytime soon! Why don't you just try to imagine what it's like to wake up and realise that you're missing major anatomy parts and gained things you'd rather not imagine on yourself!"

"Give yourself two days, three at max, to settle and you'll be over it," he spoke to Malik, still not moving from his leaning position against the wall, his arms remaining crossed. Nothing in his face revealed anything unusual, just the confident, yet cocky, expression he constantly wore.

"How?" she spluttered.

"Because I have a certain charm about these things," he said in a deep voice, finally leaving his spot next to the wall and walked farther into the room, watching as Malik sat cross-legged on the bed. She tilted her head to the right before speaking.

"_Charm?_ You stare at a person, right up to the stage where you're making them feel uncomfortable?"

Bakura looked on, smiling in a way that usually makes people uncormfortable. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Well, if it was any other time, then the answer would be no, but considering that I'm in an unfamiliar body – yes. Yes, Bakura, you are making me slightly uncomfortable…"

The platinum-haired man showed off a row of pearly-white teeth as he commented. "Not many can say they have that particular talent," he commented, smugly ('_Charm!_').

Malik sighed lightly, shaking her head. "Whether or not you like it, I'm not falling for this non-existent 'charm'. I'm not sure whether you know this, but you have a habit where you stare at people long enough to make the decision as to whether or not they are actually suitable to breathe in the same air as you."

"Is it my fault that most of these detestable mortals aren't?

"I just won't comment on that," she informed him. "But that still doesn't change the fact that I have no clothes to wear."

"Can't you just steal something of Isis's?" Bakura asked, turning his head slightly but still being able to see the blonde Egyptian in the reflection of the wall mirror.

"Do you think she might find it a little odd that both I and her clothes have vanished? She might just come to the demented conclusion that I've run away to become a cross-dresser. Besides, Isis prefers traditional clothes – I think she only owns a couple of pairs of jeans…"

"Throw them in a bag – along with all your other stuff – and I'll think up something on the way back."

Malik jumped up, agreeing with a curt nod of the head when she suddenly realised something. "Since when did you become the brains?" she sneered.

Bakura arched a brow at the obvious insult but only smirked and retorted with, "Since yours vanished over night."

That quietened her...

-

To be continued...

-

Okay then. Remember folks, this fics is humour, thus characters are deliberatly taken out of character for my own amusment! Besides, I've seen worse...

Anywho, here is a present for you guys - it's a deleated scene for all those who want a little something something going on lol. You can guess where this scene was meant to go:

-

"Give yourself two days, three at max, to settle and you'll be over it," he spoke to Malik, still not moving from his leaning position against the wall, his arms remaining crossed. Nothing in his face revealed anything unusual, just the confident, yet cocky, expression he constantly wore.

"How?" she spluttered.

"Because that's how long it will take me to 'charm' you into my bed," Bakura said in a deep voice, delivering an alluring smile to the female.

Malik arched her fine brows, the sudden bout of anger being washed over by confusion. Now convinced that maybe this was just some strange dream and when she woke up she would be male again, Malik laughed.

"'Charm'? You're being very optimistic, Bakura."

The comment made by Malik did not go unnoticed and caught Bakura pretty much off guard, especially considering he had been expecting Malik to respond in an exasperated fashion. He didn't know why he had said what he said. _'To break the tension_,' he figured. Actually, the thief was relieved that Malik hadn't thought too much into the comment but he was uncertain about the sudden changes in her behaviour – going from one extreme to the other.

Were all women like this, or just Malik? Bakura found himself wondering.

"Is this that 'charm' thing you believe to have going on?" she enquired, genuinely curious, though still speaking in a soft voice with a playful tone

"Optimistic – maybe? Factual – definitely!"

-

I wrote it because I decided to listen to a few of my reviews, however, it didn't fit so it went!

Hope you enjoyed reading...


	8. Seven: Forever Haunted, More Than Afraid

**Chapter Seven**

**Forever Haunted, More Than Afraid**

**-**

**Humour, expect OOC**

**-**

Bakura sat watching the hands of the clock move as slowly as they possibly could. The day just continued to pass with extra incongruity, which made Bakura wonder which was worse. True, he had decided, Malik did indeed have it rough, but then again his own behaviour was out of order. It was just unacceptable! Since when was he ever civil to anyone? Which then lead to the question:

"Why was I so intent on helping Malik?"

The larger of the two hands moved to the number nine while the small one rested closer towards the four. This meant that any moment now, Ryou would be back from school. The thief snorted. This was another of his attempts at being civil and, dare he say, helpful. He had told Malik – rather forceful, when he thought back – that he would inform Ryou about Malik. How he was going to achieve that was beyond him.

The slamming of the door broke Bakura from his reverie. He looked up swiftly and watched Ryou through slitted eyes. He observed the other shuffle out of his navy jacket and hang it up, along with his bag, before walking through the living room to the kitchen. He walked with slow, uneasy steps, looking at Bakura with a nervous expression. This did nothing to put an end to Bakura's cat-like predatory gaze.

Finally, Ryou spoke up, saying, "Is there something amiss? Stop looking at me like that…" His voice wasn't nearly as steely as Bakura's would have been in such a situation, but this did show that the platinum-haired boy did indeed have some form of backbone. That was until Bakura snarled, "I can look at you any way I please!"

Ryou flinched at the tone. Even knowing that the thief would never hurt him physically (emotionally was a different story completely, especially when some comments that left Bakura's mouth could have been called brash and somewhat childish in certain situations) didn't stop him from recoiling at the uncalled for comments. He glanced but decided to shrug it off because there really was no actual point.

Now knowing that the kitchen was out of bounds, Ryou changed direction and began to walk up the stairs, turning only to say, "I'm going to have a shower then." Ryou had to look twice to confirm his yami's behaviour as he spoke his words. It seemed to Ryou that the other was just smirking. He blinked. Bakura was indeed just sloughing into the chair smirking at nothing in particular. The English boy shook his head and continued to climb the stairs. After all, he had come to accept and familiarise himself with Bakura's oddities.

---

Ryou pushed open his bedroom door and walked over to his wardrobe, where he pulled out a pair of navy jeans and a pale green polo neck jumper. They had PE today and he hadn't had enough time to shower after that lesson. He hummed a cheery tune he had heard somewhere (though he couldn't for the life of him remember where) and turned back to the bathroom. A nice, hot shower was just what he needed. Too caught up in his own cheerfulness, Ryou never noticed that the spare bedroom was now open. He placed his hand on the doorknob and began to turn it.

---

Bakura smirked as he found the solution for his current predicament of informing Ryou that a very female Malik would be staying with them. He was ninety-eight percent certain that if he tried to explain this to Ryou it would only entail in him being on the receiving end of a pair of sceptical brown eyes that clearly said that the spirit of the Sennen Ring was in fact demented. That would then automatically lead to Ryou being of the receiving end of some shocking threats that are not suitable for young ears. If told to anybody, would this story ever be convincible, even with the threats to match?

So Bakura tried to get his brain to conceive an appropriate answer that would satisfy Ryou, and lo and behold the resolution came to him after the other said he would take a shower. Most people had locks on their doors … not Ryou. That meant that whenever anyone wished to use the bathroom they would need to inform the other to avoid any rather embarrassing situations from arising. It just so happens that Malik had informed Bakura of the exact same thing.

"This is all too perfect," he muttered darkly. "When Ryou walks into the bathroom-"

A shrill scream and a brief yell, followed the forceful slamming of a door, indicated Bakura that his problem had just been solved.

"I take it Ryou has just seen Malik in the bathroom then," he told himself confidently.

"B-Bakura!" Ryou stuttered, stamping down the stairs, his pale face now flushed red. "There – there's…"

"Yes…" he prompted, taking a deep satisfaction in Ryou's embarrassment. He briefly wondered what was taking Malik so long to make her own entrance, which would more than likely involve insults fallings on deaf ears.

"There's a girl – bathroom…" he continued stuttering, thought it had now dropped to a low whisper, his cheeks still growing bright. "N-Naked…"

Bakura had to strain to hear the last of Ryou's words. '_Re, help him when he finally gets a girlfriend_…' he said to himself. He had honestly not expected that to have happened. Walking in when Malik was in the shower or at least covered by a towel, yes … but definitely not walking in on Malik when she was naked. But then again, maybe Malik wasn't naked, maybe she was covered by the towel and Ryou, being naive, took that as naked? That must be it…

Bakura decided now was the time to tell Ryou the truth.

"That was no ordinary girl standing (not naked!) in the bathroom – it's Malik…"

Ryou blinked. "No Bakura, it was definitely a girl in back there, not Malik. I saw her with my own two eyes – she was rather beautiful actually – oh my gosh! She must be more embarrassed than I was! I didn't think for one moment!" Ryou continued to mutter about hurting this young girl. He didn't question why she was there; he just assumed she must have known Bakura. He was currently battling with himself as to whether or not it was a good idea to go and apologise. Would that make matters worse?

Bakura, on the other hand, was thinking something along very different lines. He didn't know whether or not he should have been relieved that Ryou had commented Malik on her looks and called her beautiful. It half made him think that it must now be an obvious assumption to make and he was not completely losing his mind in thinking Malik was beautiful himself. He was a thief after all who had an eye for rare and exotic gems, as those were most valuable...

"Bakura?" came a small voice.

Both Ryou and Bakura turned to face the source of the voice. Malik was now dressed in Bakura's stripped t-shirt and her navy pants. Her ashen hair had been pulled back and clipped on top of her head, water still dripping from the loose strands and trailing their way down her face and neck. She kept her right hand on the wall as she finished walking down the stairs, looking cautiously at the two light-haired males. She shot a look, or rather a well disguised glare, towards the Tomb-Robber and soon turned her attention to Ryou.

"Ryou, I'm really sorry about upstairs…"

Ryou blinked and took in the girl's appearance a lot better now that she was fully clothed. He stood by his original thought that she was beautiful, but the thought of imagining her naked again caused his face to flush once more.

He shook his head in hope of riding himself of his embarrassment. Maybe he was wrong; maybe it was more embarrassing for him than it was for her…

But then…

"You know me?" he asked, shocked. There was something oddly familiar about the girl but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Tanned skin, light blonde hair, dazzling amethyst eyes. She looked like someone he had known but he just couldn't recall. There was a physiological term for this, but he couldn't recall that either. '_Well, this is certainly looking very positive_,' he scolded himself.

He watched the girl for a moment and was amazed when she suddenly went from calm and shy to something of the other. She turned her full attention to Bakura and narrowed her eyes, specks of red appearing on her cheeks, though not from embarrassment.

"You didn't tell him!? You said you would tell him everything!" she snarled.

Ryou could only watch as Bakura brushed off the girl's anger. What was going on?

"I did tell him," he simply responded.

She waved and punched her arms around in an exasperated manner, which somehow gave Ryou the expression that this is what she wanted to do to Bakura.

"That," she shouted, pointing a finger directly at Ryou, "is not the expression of recognition! That's the look of complete and utter confusion!"

Ryou blinked once more. She had hit the nail on the head with his expressions. Was he really that open with his emotions? That a mere stranger could pick up on them? But then again, he recalled, thinking back to the beginning of her sentence. She had said that it wasn't the look of recognition. So did that mean that he was supposed to know this girl somehow?

"Maybe he's just as slow as you are then. I mean, how long did it take you to realise that I had offered you a room? A couple of hours? Maybe you and Ryou share the same blond brain cells? I mean, you have ash blonde-hair and he has platinum-blond hair. Blonde … what can I say? It brings up that 'dumb blonde' argument again, only this time I have another example of sheer stupidity standing near me."

Unlike the girl, Ryou knew it was always best to let the Tomb-Robber say what he wanted, that way no one actually got hurt.

"I bet you don't fit yourself into the 'blond' category, do you? Look at it this way, Bakura; you're just as blond as all the others. At least I can read from a book, word for word, without making stupid mistakes!"

Bakura stood up and walked closer to Malik, glaring through crimson eyes. "Don't try to place the blame on me, you wretched Tomb-Keeper!"

"How can I place the blame to you when it's already there, you good for nothing thief!?"

"Bitch!"

"Bastard!"

"Malik?"

Both Malik and Bakura stopped their petty argument and looked over towards the, now stunned, looking Ryou. His rich brown eyes were wide and his mouth open a jar, the cogs in his head could almost be heard turning as he tried to piece this together – shard by tiny shard. Unfortunately he concluded with nothing, apart from the fact that this female had a striking resemblance to Malik, plus Bakura had told him that it was Malik in the bathroom. That evidence alone was not enough for it to correspond but the display of friendship ('_despite what they said_,' Ryou grumbled) had told him enough that this was indeed Malik trapped inside a woman's body. Now there was only one question that was left unsaid.

"How the hell did this happen?" Ryou found the words escape his mouth before he had the change to think about what could be said. '_Some much for taking the easy way_,' he sighed.

Malik was taken back by Ryou's choice of words. They were the sort to be expected from Bakura, with a few more curses maybe, but not from Ryou. Had the boy ever said the word 'hell'? She shot a look to Bakura to see his expression and smirked. "See what you've done, you stupid Tomb-Robber? You're corrupting him."

Bakura turned to face Malik but shot a sidelong glance to his hikari. "Obviously not enough because he still blushed profusely when caught sight of you naked in the bathroom."

Ryou's face darkened with the comment that Bakura made so freely, especially knowing that it was Malik he had seen. He had called Malik beautiful! '_Who would have imagined that Malik would make such a pretty girl though? Looking at him – does that mean I have get used to calling him, her, now? – now that I know that it really is Malik makes this strangely real…_'

"See," Bakura smirked, using his thumb to indicate Ryou, "even now he's blushing. Maybe Ryou isn't really as innocent as we all imagined him to be. I think the real reason he's blushing is because he needs to rush to the bathroom to … _relieve _… himself of the problem you're causing him. So if anything, Malik, I believe it's you who's corrupting him."

"Bakura…" Ryou began. '_Why did Bakura have to put things so bluntly? And why am I blushing so much? It only causes him to act worse. This is because I called her beautiful after I saw her naked… oh my, even that sounds rather bad now that I think about it._ _You don't call someone beautiful after that – well, I guess you do, but only at intimate times. I wouldn't call walking in on Malik after she had a shower an intimate time. Ahh! Shut up, Ryou! You're making yourself worse than Bakura did!' _

Malik, after seeing the effect Bakura's words were have on Ryou, decided to take pity and put a stop to it. "Leave him alone, Bakura. It's only normal to blush at a time like that."

"Well, you blushed when I first saw you, but I would hardly call you normal. But then again, you didn't blush when you took your shirt off in front of me, so that must say something about you," he replied, casually. 

Malik shook her head softly. She certainly had succeeded in taking the attention off Ryou. She looked quickly at the hikari and noted he was still blushing, though not as badly, which was a good sign.

"Whatever you say, Bakura," she told him, indicating that the conversation was now at a close. She turned fully to Ryou. "As for the answer to your question … I believe this was caused by the misreading of an ancient Egyptian spell read by our resident genius, wouldn't you agree, Bakura?"

Bakura sneered and crossed his arms. "Actually, the blame falls entirely on you and your idiotic family," he said in a gruff tone.

Ryou shook his head, fighting the urge to bang it against the wall. '_Not again! Why do you have to provoke Malik so much, Bakura? Why do you have to just provoke everyone you meet_…?'

"How the hell has your minuscule brain pieced that conclusion together?" Malik asked.

"Well, isn't it obvious? If your sister kept her belongings in much better condition I would have been able to read the text," he replied, as if the answer was the most simple in the whole world.

"Bakura, you really are a-"

"So, Malik!" Ryou interrupted, taking a few steps forward. Even though he wasn't as close to Malik as Bakura was, he would still be able to intervene if any form of fight broke out. '_Would Bakura hit a girl_?' he found himself wondering, not that he wanted to find out this way, but it did make him very curious. "This is because of a spell? Do you have any idea what the spell was so it can be reversed?"

"Unfortunately, no. I don't even know what the original spell was because Bakura wouldn't enlighten me with the details, but I woke up like this. To me, that's bad and I don't really know what to do."

Ryou nodded his head, agreeing with Malik. After all, Malik was his friend. It was strange but he would never have given Malik a chance had it not been for Bakura. When Bakura had unintentionally befriended Malik, Ryou found himself wondering what devious plans Malik would concur with Bakura, but that didn't happen – as much, at least. It had been this time where Malik had been waiting for Bakura to return from wherever he was ... possibly terrorising innocent terrorists ('_Why was Malik not involved? This really is all too confusing when I think about it_,' Ryuo decided). Nevertheless, Malik had waited and Ryou was downstairs fixing something to eat. He had been making a chicken meal and offered Malik some. When Malik declined, Ryou had assumed that maybe Malik thought that he was too good to eat the same food, which was until Malik informed the platinum-haired boy that he was a vegetarian and that it went against all he had known. Ryou had been shocked, not really expecting that from such a person. That then entailed them to have a full on discussion about how the world lacks things for vegetarians, especially in most fast food restaurants. It made Ryou aware of how many things a vegetarian can't eat, for example, certain types of chewing gum or chocolate. The fact that he could have a civil conversation with the ash-blond teen had surprised him, which then caused him to place Malik in the category of friend. (It really didn't take much to become Ryou's friend). He was relatively harmless so Ryou decided to attempt to be his friend outside of the 'home' situation, which worked out for the better.

When his other bunch of friends found out that he was, in Joey's own words, a blasted little traitor for befriending that Egyptian psychopath, they had actually avoided him until Yugi was the one to make an attempt at taking to Malik. Even Ryou could tell that Malik preferred his own space and had no problem with having little friends; he still used subtly to encourage conversation. He had often wondered what Yugi had said to the others and, if he hadn't been accidentally eavesdropping, he would never have found out the real reason…

_Ryou just said his goodbyes to Yugi and all the others when he had realised that he had forgotten his school bag and he couldn't very well leave it, not when he had homework that needed to be done. He turned immediately and saw that Yugi was still in the school grounds near the gate. Joey was leaning on the wall next to Tristan. Téa and Yugi were further back. Ryou was about to inform them of his presence when he overheard them talking._

_Joey thrust his hands in his pockets as he turned to lean on the wall after he moved forward slightly. "How can you, of all people, Yuge, give Malik the benefit of the doubt? After all he's done – he sent how many souls to the Shadow Realm, including Mai, tried to turn us all against each other and even used Ryou against us for crying out loud! Or have you forgotten that?"_

_"No, Joey, I haven't forgotten," he said, looking at Joey with large purple eyes that held a hint of sadness. "But obviously you're forgetting that it wasn't Malik we were facing – it was Marik!"_

_"Yeah, but it was Malik at first, wasn't it? He was Malik when he made you and I duel? He was in perfect mind - can I actually say that about that twisted freak? – when he was usin' that Rod of his, wasn't he? He was-"_

_"Under the influence of Marik," Yugi told him sharply. He took a glance to Tristan and Téa, seeing that none of them were joining in with the conversation but did allow Yugi the time to plead Malik's innocence, even if they, themselves, refused to believe such a thought. "Even when he seemed to be himself, Marik was always in the back of his mind, even though Malik didn't know this himself. Malik was victim to Marik's pull, his evil influence, the greed to gain control. Malik was the innocent one…"_

_"Innocent! Yeah right! I'd have to see that to believe it," Joey snorted._

_"Well, I have!" he shouted and shook his head gain some kind of composure. "I mean, you wouldn't really understand – none of you would."_

_Joey blinked and looked to his other two friends. Téa walked next to Yugi as Tristan stayed where he was. "What do you mean, Yugi?" the girl asked._

_"What I'm saying is that you don't understand what's it's like to have a darkness inside of you. I'm lucky because Yami is my friend, but in Malik's case, and moreover, Ryou's, they have an evil inside of them – just waiting to get out."_

_"Yeah, it's just worse now that Ryou's freaky darker half has a body of his own now. God knows what that weirdo is planning. I bet he'd sacrifice little kids if he could get his hands on all of the items. I hate that guy! He's just a demented bastard!_

_"I'd like to see you say that to his face," Tristan smirked to Joey, who was punching the air._

_"Yeah, like I'm scared of that moron!"_

_"Yugi, I thought you banished Malik's darker half?" Téa asked loudly, ignoring Tristan and Joey._

_"What Malik was possessed by was a part of him, a part that can never be banished forever. It was Malik's hatred and anger at the world that caused this, wasn't it? Remember what had Isis said," the smaller boy said, noticing that he had somehow managed to draw in Joey and Tristan's attention. "But it can be controlled, and that's what Malik is doing."_

_"Does that mean that Marik can come back then?" Téa asked worriedly._

_"I think it would take something really big to cause Malik to be so angry again. He was confused, which is why I think that he's no longer a further threat to us. I think we should at least try to make an effort. I mean, Ryou has made an effort and that seems to be working out just find. He and Malik are friends."_

_"That's what I can't figure out, Yuge," Joey said, placing his hand under his chin. "Why would Ryou be friends with Malik when Malik used him most?"_

_"But then again this is Ryou we're talking about, Joey," Tristan interrupted, a smirk on his face. "He could make friends with anyone. He's too kind for his own good, that's why his darker half managed to take control so easy."_

_"Tristan, that's a horrible thing to say about Ryou," Téa spoke aloud, seeing whether anyone else did in fact agree with her. _

_"I agree with Téa, Tristan. I really don't think it's like that at all, because you have to bear in mind that Bakura is a force to be reckoned with. He'll stop at nothing until he has what he wants in his possession."_

_"You'd really think that he'd get a clue, wouldn't you?" the blond spoke his mind, unbeknown that Ryou was watching. "He not really goin' to get what he wants, not with Yami around, is he? He should just quit now before he gets sent back to the Shadow Realm, this time it might be for good!"_

_"Despite everything, Joey, Bakura hasn't actually been seen for ages, has he?" Téa said, throwing her school bag over her shoulder. "So we can't assume anything. Though, it's not like he's gone good or anything, is it? I mean, I'm sure Ryou, now that he actually has a body he doesn't have to share, would tell us if there was anything amiss with Bakura, wouldn't he?"_

_"Unless he's really in cahoots with Bakura," Joey muttered._

_"Joey!"_

_"Kidding, Yuge," he pleaded. "I know that Ryou isn't like that." _

_Ryou stared aghast as his friends continued to talk about him. He was unsure whether Joey was kidding or not but at least he knew that the others didn't think anything like that of him. They trusted him. But would he really tell them about Bakura? After all, he wasn't doing anything bad, well, nothing that could cause any long term damage at least…_

Ryou shook his head softly. It was then that they had attempted to talk to Malik, though sometimes it was simple to tell that it was strained, by both Malik and the others, mostly Joey and Tristan, occasionally Téa, too.

Turning his attention back to Malik and Bakura, Ryou smiled softly. "Well if there's anything you need … help with, then don't hesitate to give me a call. How did Isis and Rashid take this exactly?" he enquired.

Malik sighed. "I haven't told them and I don't really plan on doing so either. This isn't permanent," she said firmly, glaring at Bakura, "despite what you say!"

"Just don't come crying to me when you realise you're a female for the rest of your life," the thief snorted, raising his arms and yawning loudly as he strolled across the room and threw himself heavily onto the sofa.

"Like that's gonna happen!"

"How can you keep this from them?" Ryou said in a quiet voice, making Malik wonder whether it was directed at her or not. The English boy absently walked next to Malik and sat on the bottom step, leaning on his elbow with his hand under his chin. He began to mumble different ideas aloud but decided against each and every one of them. Finally, he said, "You can stay here, Malik. I insist! Maybe you could leave it as long as possible and if there's no chance then you'll have to find some way of telling Isis and Rashid. I'll help if you like."

Malik's eyes brightened at the offer. Not at the fact that Ryou had offered her a room, Bakura had done that part already, but because he had offered to help explain this situation to her siblings. That was the part she feared the most. Bakura had told her bluntly that he would take no part in explaining this. '_So much for support from your friends_,' she grumbled. _'But at least Ryou has offered to help. It seems he's more my friend than Bakura…_'

"Thanks, Ryou," she beamed. "Bakura already said it would be all right if I stayed, but it's nice that you agree. I feared that you might say no."

Ryou glanced over to where he could see Bakura's feet on the arm of the sofa. He smiled as he spoke, keeping his eyes on where Bakura was lying. "Oh, he did, did he? That was very-"

_/Shut up, Ryou!/ _he snarled through the link they shared. Though they no longer shared a body, the mental connection still remained intact, even though it was very rarely used.

_/What's wrong, Bakura?/ _he asked back, his question a mixture between sincerity and mischief. After all, he had just found out that Bakura had offered their home to Malik. Should he really voice his thoughts to the other? _/I was only going to mention how nice that was of you. I mean, it was a nice thing to offer Malik a room here (especially considering you only think about yourself most times!) – rather unexpected./_

_/Whatever! Just don't make a habit of walking in on Malik naked,/ _he informed him suddenly. _/It's bad enough that you blush at the TV!/_

_/(Jealous?)/_

_/I heard that! If you don't wish to wake up in a pool of your own blood I suggest you reframe from saying anything else that may anger me! Got it!/_

Bakura shot up suddenly and grinned darkly, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Malik, I've figured out your clothes problem," he told her, seeing that the Egyptian was nodding her head for an answer. "Ryou will take you shopping to get new clothes. Have fun!" And with that he slumped back down and closed his eyes, the grin on his face not faltering at the thought of Ryou going clothes shopping with Malik. It was amusing to think, though, not amusing for Bakura to degrade himself in doing so himself, though it would work out cheaper if he went along. Ryou hasn't the heart to steal clothes, especially girls clothing. The thought was just laughable.

To be continued…

Author's Notes: Firstly, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who has reviewed the fic so far - I really do enjoy reading each review - they make me smile knowin that people are enjoying reading what I write.

Secondly, I have already written the next 5 chapters. I actually wrote them a while back. So no worries about me not updating - though I might not do it regularly tho.

Thirdly, I'm not too sure that I'm happy with the fic anymore. I've re-read it - not changed anything - and something about it really annoys me. I actually would like to re-write it but have the characters more IC. However, if I do that, I'll end up making the fic more serious than it's suposed to be. Oh well, I might re-write a serious version, I might not.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)


	9. Chapter Eight: Discard Regret

**Chapter Eight**

**Discard Regret**

Ryou signed as he waited outside the changing rooms where Malik was inside trying on various different outfits. Overall, it was faring to be a rather difficult job. '_Who would have thought that shopping for girls clothing would be so hard?_' he wondered. '_It's too bad Téa isn't here…_' It wasn't the clothes themselves, it was trying to find a size that would fit Malik perfectly. So far she had taken several pairs of jeans and a few tops in the changing room and Ryou was just waiting on her now.

He turned his head when one of the doors opened and out walked Malik. '_What is it with Malik and tight clothing?' _he said to himself, seeing the clothes that Malik now wore. Nothing extravagant: a pair of stonewashed blue jeans and a sleeveless black polo neck jumper. He smiled softly and nodded his head as a sign of approval.

"Is that a yes then?" Malik asked, uncertain.

Ryou blinked as he looked at her properly and noticed that she was looking rather uncomfortable. That struck him as odd, as Malik had never been conscious of appearances before. He thought that she looked fine in what she was wearing and would advise her to buy them. '_Does she not like them?_'

Malik waited and then later used her hand to gain Ryou's full attention. "Either a yes or no would be fine. Don't just stare at me!"

It was then that the penny finally dropped and Ryou now understood that Malik was looking for verbal approval. '_Of course Malik would be uncomfortable_!'

"Oh sorry, Malik," he told her cheerfully. "They look good on you. How do you feel though?"

Malik pulled at the neck as she looked in the mirror, turning around to have a look at the back. "I mean, it just feels strange altogether, but the clothes seem okay to me – they fit perfectly. I'm not sure about how they look on me, though, but that might be due to this distorted image I have of myself at the moment. But if you say they look good, then I trust your judgement – better than Bakura's even…"

Ryou found himself smiling widely at the compliment. It wasn't often that he received compliments from anyone and the only thing he received from Bakura was threats and insults.

"Thanks, Malik. You honestly look all right in those clothes. Now that we know your size it'll make it much easier to buy you clothes."

Malik cheered up drastically with that and dashed back into the changing room to put her original clothes back on, which consisted, still, of Bakura's t-shirt and her navy pants. '_It's a start_,' she thought. '_Who would have thought there would be so many different types of clothes to choose from_?' She placed the clothes back on their correct hangers and proceeded out of the changing room.

"So basically it's just a case of finding the clothes that you like," Ryou said, silently amazed that he had lasted so long shopping for girls' clothes.

Malik thoroughly agreed and made her way back into the store, with Ryou not too far behind. Malik was pleasantly surprised that Ryou could pick out nice clothes, not that she thought that there was anything wrong with the way Ryou dressed, but it was still a thought that shocked her. Then again there were some items of clothing that she refused to even try on. Currently Ryou was trying to convince her to buy a skirt, saying that it would look good with that polo neck top she first tried on. She immediately declined the offer, saying there was no chance she would wear a skirt, or dress. So how Ryou actually managed to convince her was beyond her.

"Malik, it can't be that bad," Ryou said, sitting straight in the plastic chair, arms crossed. He had been trying to get Malik to try on this skirt for the past fifteen minutes and there was no chance that he was going to give up now.

"Why don't you try it on and judge whether it's all right or not!" she shot back, her voice bitter and cold.

"Malik, I will tell you whether it looks bad or anything. I wouldn't lie to you, I swear," he told her, picking up one of the various magazines and flicking through the articles. They were all relatively boring to him. Who wanted to know whether they have a shopping problem or not? He continued to flick until something caught his eye. It was one of the problem pages and it was about this one man who had written about how his girlfriend had a problem with her appearance and how she thought she was ugly when she was in fact very beautiful. It continued about how she would get paranoid about her looks and refused to wear anything clothing that revealed her arms or legs.

Ryou smiled as he read it and told Malik, "You don't have to buy it, Malik, if you really don't want to but you'll never know if you don't see for yourself."

He waited for a reply, wondering whether the reply in the magazine was accurate and might help with Malik. "I can see and I don't think it looks right. Can't I just forget this? Isn't this a sign from the gods telling me not to wear this thing?"

Ryou was unsure about whether he should continue by how the reply read because of how Malik would react. _'There really is only one way to find out_…'

"Malik, you have nothing to worry about because so far you've looked really pretty in all the clothes you've tried on. You said you trusted my judgement and I'll give you an honest answer if you only let me see what you look like now," he spoke truthfully. All off the outfits that both he and Malik had chosen had suited her well.

There was a minute of pure silence before the girl decided to answer. "I'm not too sure whether I should take it as a compliment that you called me pretty."

"I meant it as a compliment," Ryou smiled.

Malik sighed. "Promise you won't laugh at me?"

The platinum-haired male placed the magazine down and tilted his head in curiosity. "I wouldn't laugh at you, Malik."

"If you laugh can I have your permission to hit you across the face?" the Egyptian asked, her voice stronger than it was a few moments ago.

Ryou laughed and nodded his head. "You have my fullest permission," he told her, genuinely glad that she was growing more confident with being inside a female body.

"And if anyone asks, you have to say you were hit by a girl, okay? It's that or no deal!"

Ryou stood up and walked closed to where Malik's cubicle was. "Deal," he replied in a soft voice.

Malik sighed as she slowly pulled the lock across and opened the door, still as slow as she possibly go. She just knew that Ryou would laugh. '_It was a stupid idea to try on this skirt!_' she argued. Maybe Ryou has some sick, weird fetish. She took a deep breath to brace herself as she walked out of the cubicle. Ryou looked at her and Malik gave in to the urge to pull at the skirt. It was too short as well.

Ryou stared at Malik, his mouth open ajar. She wore the black polo neck top again, but this time it was paired with a black checked skirt. He could see Malik pull at the length, which fell perfectly, halfway down her thighs. He now came to the conclusion that dark colours complimented her almost as well as light colours. With her hair falling over her shoulders, earrings adoring her ears, the redness flitting over her cheeks and the coy twinkle in her eyes, Malik looked radiant to Ryou.

"Malik, you look really beautiful and I am telling you the truth," he found himself saying.

"I don't know, Ryou," she said shyly.

"Even Bakura would find it hard not to compliment you," Ryou smirked, arms crossed as he kept his eyes on her face when he spoke.

"Ha! That's rich! Getting a compliment out of Bakura is like getting liquidised gold from out of a stone," she joked. "But seriously…"

Ryou shook his head, the small smile still painted on his lips. "It looks good, I swear. The colours really compliment you and skirt doesn't look too short. Overall, Malik, it really suits you. What do you think?" he asked her, wanting to find out her reaction to his compliments. That article said that the girl shouldn't be rushed into doing anything she didn't wish to be and she needed to be fully aware that any compliments made were the truth. Ryou took this as a guideline and stuck to it – complimenting Malik as he could and making it her decision. But he hoped that she would agree - it did look right on her.

"Maybe," she began slowly, "I can grow to get used to it…"

"I'm sure you can," he reassured.

Malik wasn't as convinced though. She looked at the skirt and sighed. "I can't afford this and that coat I wanted – that faux leather one that I saw a while back."

Ryou's smiled remained as strong as ever. "If you want, I'll buy you that coat. I mean, I have plenty of money because I don't really tend to buy things for myself – mainly for the house really. I don't have to pay anything, Dad still pays the bills while he's away, the money I do have has just continues to gain interest over the years. It really is a good thing Bakura doesn't know this," he laughed. "But I don't mind buying you that coat, if you really want it."

Malik was gob-smacked, her head moved almost automatically from side to side in a frenzied manner. "I can't ask that of you, Ryou!"

"No, I don't mind spending money on my friends. Actually, I'm going to buy you that coat whether you like it or not," he told her in a chirpy voice.

Before Malik had a chance to voice her case furthermore, Ryou placed a finger to her lips and reprimanded her with a smile and a silent nod of his head. The girl looked at him, her amethyst eyes filled with a gratifying emotion and her face falling into a contented set, delivering her own final smile of thanks. Ryou just nodded once more before allowing Malik the chance to change into her clothes.

To be continued…

Notes:

Ooo, I decided to add a bit of a romantic twist in this chapter and give Ryou more to do. And do he did. I love writing Ryou because he's such a gentleman and I just wanna hug him so much for being so utterly sweet. Deep down he's a flirt ... more of a natural one, me thinks. This is also the last ... for a while, that you'll see Malik being shy. She's going back to being overly confident and rather demanding :D

I just realised that I wrote a whole chap without Bakura.

Finally, thank yous go out to: Yami No Mariku Ishtar, Crystal of Moonlight, Mittzy, Minako, Lauren, lindaili123, garen569, Halloween 2003, hyeart4ss and jigglyjoo. Plus, all those who added the story to a fave/alert. I love you guys. I'm just so happy that this little poorly written fic is making people smile :D


	10. Chapter Nine: I Don't Look Back

**Chapter Nine**

**I Don't Look Back While I'm Waiting To Lie**

**-**

**There really is no excuse why I didn't upload this, considering the fact that the chapter was written years ago lol. The next two chapters have been written too, then I guess I will have to start writing again. I will warn you all though, certain things may change with the fic because I like to believe I've grown a little as a writer. I will try my hardest to get rid of the OOC that is plauging this story. **

**So enjoy**

**-**

Dark clouds flitted aimlessly across the blackened sky and the rain continued to impinge against the windowsill, the biting winds not helping to decipher the best course of action.

Bakura lay on his bed, hands positioned under his head. Even though his eyes were closed his mind was still fully aware of all that went on around him. It had been a week since Malik had endured the wrath of the unknown Egyptian curse and moved into the home of Ryou and himself. As expected, Malik had gotten used to the idea of now being female. This was noticeable as the attitude that was Malik returned to the scenes. She would engage in the normal conversations of playful, and sometimes not so playful, banter with Bakura, hold civil conversations with Ryou and use this time to catch up on any homework and assignments she was missing by being here. He was still unaware of what she had told her siblings but whatever it was hadn't caused them to show up, but Bakura seriously doubted she would last another week without them making a sudden guest appearance at the house.

So far it had been relatively pleasant with Malik in the house. Cleaning was a definite improvement, as in it was constantly done with Malik having nothing to do while Ryou was in school. The only room that Malik didn't have access to was Bakura's own room, which was his own haven in which he could escape her.

Bakura grunted as he heard several people mutter about the rain. Why was the noise so loud from people who were not even in the house? He had always assumed that his room was the place that was his own, the place that no one could venture into without being mangled into a bloody heap, the place where he would think up a scheme to gain possession of the Sennen Items. However, ever since Malik had moved in, Bakura found he had no direct interest in thinking up schemes to steal the items right away.

"I'm trying to get the stupid pharaoh and his equally stupid hikari to drop their guard," he had told himself in a hardened and demanding voice. After all, there was no point in being sent to the Shadow Realm, which is what they would do once he made his appearance. He had not left it long enough yet!

He argued the fact long and hard and came to the conclusion that he, of all people, knew what he wanted. He knew what he wanted from this second chance of life and what he expected from people. It was routine: the pharaoh and his hikari would be cautious, yet remain persistently clueless, of him; their group of pitiful followers would remain scared of him; his own hikari would be anxious of his next action and Malik…

…Malik would always mutter some kind of greeting to him first…

…Malik would always engage in conversation with him first…

…Malik would always listen what he had to say, despite what she usually said in return, first…

…Malik would always come to him first when there was something on her mind…

…Malik had suddenly fallen out of routine, and Bakura did not like it one bit! Although one would think that routine would not be of importance to a Tomb-Robber, it was of great inportance when getting the job done right. Routine was vital. It was important to know the property as well as he knew his treasure. Equally important was gathering information on the people he would inevitably have dealings with, who would die and who would live. Sometimes it was essential to let certain people live, even though those who got in his way ended up dead or relatively injured. Most importantly, he needed to know his enemies well: strengths, weaknesses, any attributions that may serve to his advantage. There was no point in making it to the centre, only to fail due to foolish negligence!

Despite this sounding rather immature and somewhat irrelevant to other people, to Bakura, this made a big impact. It was proof that he was not thinking correctly and had not learned from past mistakes. Tomb-robbers work best alone. He worked best alone. There really was no need to have another person drag him under and prevent him from working to his full potential. Having a 'partner' completely shattered the routine because anything could happen that he could not foresee. One small error from another person could mean the difference between escaping with the loot and barely making it out alive with nothing but a quick thrill, which wore off in a matter of minutes.

Bakura cherished his routine and now Malik had broken away from it. That was unacceptable! He had noticed immediately when the routine began to waver, it stuck in his memory, and he most definitely did not like it. Not only had Malik broken the rules, but she had replaced him. Yes, that day stuck in his head. Malik had walked into the house, using Ryou's spare key, straight past Bakura and shouted to Ryou to indicate that she was back. She began to engage in a quick conversation with the British boy before turning back, saying a messily 'hi' to Bakura before disappearing up to her room.

It made him fume inside and a logical part of him argued that it really was nothing to get so worked up over, but that did not change the fact that things had certainly changed since Malik had changed. He had wondered to himself in a steady tone that maybe this was just a one time routine change, but it did not change back to how it was before Malik became female. Malik was taking notice of Ryou ahead of him. Malik was turning traitor...

His crimson eyes shot opened and narrowed upon the thought. The routine was not returning but Malik had certainly noticed something amiss with the thief and attempted to inquire about the problem. A scowl crept upon his face at the memory of Malik pushing her way past the door and into the room where Bakura was, lying flat on his back, hands under his head, right leg bent. His eyes remained sealed but could picture her perfectly in his head, standing with her arms firmly on her hips, legs apart slightly and a scowl fixed upon her face.

"What the hell is up with you?" she demanded with a steely glint in her voice.

However, if Bakura had heard her, which it was difficult not to, he had shown no sign to acknowledge her. He just continued to loll on the bed. He found it rather amusing that Malik believed that he would talk to her when she made no attempt to do the same, except at certain times, which Bakura felt, were the times where Ryou was at school. Though, it made him wonder slightly what he had done to make her realise that something, mainly her, was bothering him. He knew for a fact that he was not tormenting Ryou as much. Maybe that was it? He saw tormenting Ryou as a waste of time because the platinum-haired teenager was beginning to learn how not to be baited.

"There must be something seriously wrong with you because you're not being obnoxious, which you usually are at best…"

The corner of Bakura's lip curled. '_It's not going to work, Malik, because I bait you, not the other way around_…'

A sigh. Malik must have dropped her demanding disposition, he assumed. "Bakura, there must be something wrong. Tell me," she asked, giving mouth to her feelings.

One crimson eye cracked open and studied her with fixed expression. "Have I ever given you the impression that I wanted to speak with you?" he spoke with a gruff voice. Malik stepped back at the verbal retort as if she was struck physically. Bakura took this opportunity to fully open his eyes and sit up right, watching Malik the same way as wild cat would watch its prey, waiting patiently for the opportune moment to arrive before striving. "Because you have no right to assume that you know anything about me, such as if I wanted to speak with you, which, believe me, I don't."

She shifted on the spot and looked around the room, which were filled with dark, rich colours. "I only wanted to see whether you were all right because … well, you're my-"

"Friend? I don't care for friends, Malik," he told her bluntly. He took no notice of the indignant and possibly disconcerted (maybe this last one was imagined) expression that filled Malik's face. "What would I need with friends? Tomb-Robbers work alone. Beside, having friends would give the impression that I care and I don't care about anyone or anything else but myself."

The almost lost face on Malik disappeared and was replaced by a frown. "Like I care if you have friends or not, but since you're the yami of my friend I thought that maybe I could help, since you don't listen to anything he has to say." Malik turned swiftly on her heel, walking from the room. "But it seems you're just a lost cause. Maybe you should listen to Ryou because he makes a hell of a lot more sense than you give him credit for. Since you're not going to do anything that involves straining yourself, I'll go and get a few things from town."

Bakura grunted a response and threw himself down heavily onto his bed, not watching Malik leave. '_Humans – such pathetic creatures_,' he mused. '_Sending another to do their own work ... truly disgusting creatures_...'

He could hear the sound of Malik scurrying around, which was followed by the forceful slam of the front door and then the sound of an engine roaring to life. That had been at least two hours ago and it certainly did not take that long to gather a few essentials, especially when Malik had taken her bike, which would kill at least three quarters of the travel time. So where was she?

"Damn woman!" he grumbled, sitting up immediately and looking around the room. Slowly, he padded across the room towards where the window was sited, stepping across to one side and looked through with his arms firmly crossed. Wherever Malik was there was no doubt that she was going to be caught up in the rain. A person just opening the door to throw the cat out would be caught up in the rain.

Bakura's head snapped to the side when he could hear the distinctive sound of Malik's motorbike. Without questioning himself, Bakura walked swiftly out of his room and downstairs. At the sight that greeted him, Bakura allowed a small smile to flit across his face. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," he said, mocking.

Malik looked up, ashen hair matted to her face, and glared at the Tomb-Robber. "Shut up."

"What possessed you to be so idiotic as to venture out in the pouring rain?"

"Well," Malik began; placing the bags she had in her hands on the floor and looked at Bakura, "it wasn't raining when I left."

"Did you not think to look to the sky for any signs of rain? I did and I could clearly tell it would rain heavy today."

The Egyptian pulled a face but resumed wringing out her sopping hair. "Well I was too angry at you to bother with it. You're such an asshole at times, did you know that?"

Bakura just shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the nearest chair. "If Ryou has a problem with me it's his own duty to confront me instead of sending you to do it for him. I would ask if you agree, but you believe in letting others do your work for you."

Malik let her hair hang lifelessly, ignoring how it tangled in her earrings. The bottom of her jeans were now a deep shaded blue and the front of her black top clung tightly to her chest, due to the absorbed rain water. She took off her shoes and left them by the door, as well as hanging up her black coat, before following Bakura's lead, silently thankful that her socks were dry. Perching herself on the arm of the chair Bakura sat at, Malik looked down at him.

"What do you mean by that? Ryou hasn't a problem with you – apart from the obvious, that is…"

The male reached for the remote control on the oak coffee table and shot Malik a glare when she reached for it first, holding it close to her.

"Why else would he send you to annoy me, if not on his behalf?" he quizzed her, finding the answer rather obvious but it seemed that Malik was finding it difficult. '_Or is she just trying to piss me off purposely?_' It honestly would have not have surprised him with Malik because the female did it so damn easily. Though, if Malik succeeded in irritating him, Bakura usually retorted in an equally aggravating manner as a substitute for the biting anger. "You said you were trying to help your friend, which isn't me, in dealings with a particular yami. I wonder," he mocked, placing his hand to his chin and began to rub. "Who could that possibly be?"

"If you weren't so irritating you may have seen that it was actually me who was enquiring as to how you were. Ryou didn't ask me to talk to you, if anything he told me to leave you be, saying that you'd work out whatever problem you're having. He says you have so many issues that it's better to just ignore you sometimes…"

"I shall ignore that last part and strangle Ryou the next time I see him. But I wonder, why could you not take his advice, especially after you advised me to listen to what he has to say? Rather hypocritical now, aren't we?"

Malik looked at the remote control in her hands and threw it onto the end chair, away from Bakura. He had tried to use this tactic to end the conversation, or at least leave it so that he was making him seem right. '_That can't happen when you mishear what is being said…_' she mused. She carefully lifted her right leg, as so not to knock Bakura with it, and let it rest on the other.

"I was angry with you for not listening to me, Bakura. But I do think that it would benefit you to listen to Ryou … once in a while, at least."

Bakura shook his head so Malik was unable to get a clear view of his face. "Giving in to anger is no excuse to be a hypocrite. I don't see, really, why you want to talk because I'm acting no different than I usually do."

"That's not what Ryou said, Bakura," she laughed gently. "To me you just seemed rather quiet and inoperative to most things around you. I did ask Ryou whether, for some ludicrous reason, you were more reserved here and he confirmed my belief. So I wanted to know the reason behind the sudden reserved behaviour."

Bakura did look towards Malik and glared when she looked back. Since when had she become immune to his cold eyes? Surely he had not become too much of a recluse inside the house? He knew that he preferred his own personal space but he did spend time outside of his room. How Malik had worded her explanation was practically saying that his behaviour was noticeable, which it wasn't. It seemed highly unlikely that Malik was so clued on his behavioural patterns to voice a concern.

Or could her problem have been similar to his? Maybe Malik preferred routine too and Bakura, because of Malik's out of line behaviour, had stepped away from her routine? Maybe she felt insecure that her routine had changed so drastically that she felt the need to change it back to how it was originally. However, this was a routine that could not be changed because of Malik's gender. Bakura's routine only changed because Malik developed a new found fondness for Ryou, pushing him aside and in dire need of fixtures to the routine.

Bakura had a sinking feeling that Malik would not suddenly leave Ryou in the dark, just to continue their routine. They had developed too much of a strong friendship within the past couple of days, which amazed and disgusted Bakura to no end. Malik had chosen her side and she would have to stand by that side until the very end now.

But … routine…

If Malik's routine was broken, why was she trying to fix what could never be repaired? Their routine, now, was like a broken glass, the shards too tiny to be glued into a perfect piece. The glass would need to be disposed of…

"Like I said before, Malik, you don't know me. And I, unlike yourself, have not developed a talent for talking to myself."

"No," Malik said softly, shaking her head from side to side. "I know you well enough to know that you are not usually this quiet. And I don't talk to myself! What does that have to do with anything?"

Bakura leaned his head back. "Everything, Malik," he sighed. He was unsure whether he should actually give voice to his routine being broken or not. What would Malik say? It made him curious, but was it enough?

"Huh?"

"Friends talk … we are not friends … we are acquaintances, partners in the past. You are here on Ryou's demand only."

Malik sighed and placed her hand on Bakura's shoulder. "Okay, this may be an out of character thing for me to say, but Bakura, you're my friend. You invited me here first, true, it's your fault I'm like this, but I went to you for help. You helped me out of that situation with Ryou, you let me _borrow_ your clothes, you told Ryou, again, not the best way, but you did it none the less and now-"

"-You feel obliged to return the favour? How romantic," he smirked.

"No, it's not like that at all. You just seem not to be speaking to me, that's all…" she sighed, casting her eyes to the other side of the room, focusing on a picture. Had she only just noticed it? It seemed to be a portrait of a man and a woman, only it was plastered with dark and morbid colours. The water they sat beside was black and the leaves of the trees were deep brown, many falling from their place. The couple looked at ease but oblivious to the depressing world around them. _'It must be one of those "we're so much in love that we don't notice the end of the world" kind of pictures … how depressing…_' She sighed quietly once more and only noticed then that Bakura had been talking to her. "What?" she muttered, unintelligently.

Bakura laughed grimly. "Not only do you not talk to me, but when you ask me to talk back, you're in your own little world. I believe I may have asked you this countless times, but what is it like to be lost in your own little world of insanity?"

Malik blinked. "Of course I talk to you."

Bakura snorted and brushed away Malik's hand, which still remained on his shoulder. "Whatever," he muttered. "Like I care…"

Malik pushed herself from the arm of the chair and smiled deviously. "If I didn't know better, Bakura, I'd say you were feeling a bit neglected."

"Shut the hell up, Malik," he grumbled, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, just so he was unable to see the growing grin beaming across Malik's face, because he knew perfectly well that it was there, waiting to be seen.

"Whatever you say," she replied.

Bakura 'hmph-ed', making that the declaration that the conversation was now officially closed and if Malik would try to return to it she would severely regret doing so. He could hear her moving around, which was followed by the rustling of plastic carrier bags. He cracked open one eye and watched her move into the kitchen with the bags, the various sounds informing him that she was in the process of putting things neatly away in their rightful places.

Malik walked out of the kitchen and looked at Bakura. "Ryou isn't going to be back for another three hours," she informed the thief, stealing a quick glance towards the clock. "It's four-thirty now. I'm offering to make the food tonight and I'm going to need your help."

Bakura arched a fine brow at hearing her saying this. Malik shook her head and smiled.

"Don't worry, Bakura, it doesn't really involve you doing much," she replied, knowing that Bakura was curious because both Malik and Ryou always avoided Bakura's 'assistance' in the kitchen. "I can do everything but I'm not really looking forward to tenderising meat, so I was wondering whether you could do that for me?"

"Tenderising … meat…"

Malik nodded. "Yes."

"But you don't eat meat," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're being very observant today, Bakura, I must congratulate you. Well done," the female said, her hands now in the pockets of her jeans.

"I should remove your head from your neck, you sarcastic bitch. I only wondered about the meat considering you're a vegetarian and you don't touch the stuff."

"It's more like a peacekeeping, if you will – an apology of some kind."

Bakura grinned as he sat up straight. "You and Ryou fall out? What did you do?" he enquired. He had only seen Ryou lose his composure just once, just after they had acquired a body each. The platinum-haired teenager wondered greatly about how Bakura had accomplished such a feat and came to the conclusion, surprisingly quickly, that it must not have been legitimate to have caught Bakura's attention. Ryou's temper was not nearly as shocking as Bakura's but it make the thief wonder whether he could push Ryou to it once more. So far he was verging on the answer being no. The boy was just too nice. He had even felt guilty about becoming angry at Bakura. Why, Bakura could not even begin to comprehend, so he just left it as an open ended question, which could be answered at a later date.

Malik tilted her head, briefly noticing that her hair was now beginning to dry in clumps, but decided that as soon as she made everything perfectly clear to Bakura, she would have a shower and then change into dry, clean clothes. But right now, Bakura was puzzling her and she couldn't help but wonder about how he was managing to understanding nothing of what she was trying to tell him. It was like she spoke another language that Bakura couldn't understand, which was untrue because they both spoke fluent Japanese and both shared their native language, which was Egyptian. She had heard of the phrase 'men are from Mars and woman are from Venus' but where did that leave her if she wasn't a born female? Surely she was still able to understand the male mind, she hadn't changed that much, had she?

"Bakura, what are you talking about? Me and Ryou haven't fallen out, what gave you that idea?"

The comment caused Bakura to slouch back into his chair. '_Malik truly has become a woman_,' he mused. Now he couldn't even have a conversation with her because she always seemed to question what he was saying. '_Are all woman this difficult?_' He might as well come out with it and be as blunt as possible because if Malik misunderstood then he would do a round of cursing and contemplate which of Ryou's possessions was good enough to break into small enough pieces, which would just make Bakura about satisfied.

"Let's put it this way, shall we?" he sneered. "It must be something big to apologise for if you're going to make Ryou a meal with meat. I know how much you don't like meat and to even consider this must mean something."

Malik smiled brightly and walked closer to Bakura, saying, "Somehow, during this conversation, we've managed to become lost in translation because I'm not making a meal for Ryou – it's for you. I don't know why, maybe it's because my mind is becoming more and more female by the day, but I felt that I had to apologise for earlier on … for pissing you off more than I usually do…"

Bakura stood up and crossed his arms. "You always piss me off but you've never felt the need to do something like this before. What's in it for you?" he asked, suspicious of what Malik had planned. He had been short with her this morning and Malik was almost as devious as himself. He certainly wouldn't trust himself…

"Bakura, Bakura, Bakura," she began in a cheerful voice, waving her finger and pointing it towards him. "You're always on your guard, but, believe it or not, not everyone is after you. Like you said, I'm going to be handling meat which, for a vegetarian, is really saying something, don't you agree? So why don't you just let your guard down and let me, in a small, minute way, thank you for all the _help _ you've given me."

Bakura raised a brow, still uncertain. Malik sighed heavily, narrowing her amethyst eyes towards Bakura. "I'm trying to do something nice, which doesn't happen very often. So what I'm going to do is this: go upstairs, have a shower and put on some fresh clothes. When I get downstairs, we're going to make dinner. Is tha all right for you?" she asked, though by her tone one would say that the decision was already made.

Bakura spun on the spot and reached for the remote control. "Whatever…" he said, and sat down to watch the television.

Malik watched Bakura and felt her face fall ever so slightly. She turned groggily and began to walk up the stairs, making no effort to speak to Bakura. She was attempting to make an effort, for what she didn't really know herself, but it just seemed important that Bakura was relatively happy … well, as happy as Bakura can get. She had noticed that he was reserved and she regretted that she had left it too late to discuss the problem at large. She had realised that she had been spending time with Ryou, but it just seemed as if Ryou understood her and he did make an attempt to make her happy, which she was grateful for. But with Bakura…

She sighed.

"Don't think you can blackmail me a second time with meat, Malik, because I'll be watching out for you. I just don't think it's fair that I'm being blackmailed into making my own dinner, so to speak…"

Malik turned instantly to see Bakura looking at her, a smirk painted across his face. She returned his smirk with one of her own and replied with, "I don't think tenderising a bit of meat is classified as making your own dinner, Bakura."

"Whatever," he said in his gruff tone, though with another flicker of something else. "Just don't take too long – I'm starved."

Malik nodded and watched Bakura turned around again. "I'll try not to," she told him and proceeded to walk up the stairs. She was making progress with him, that's for certain.

Maybe the routine could return…

To be continued…


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

**Ok, I admit that I forgot about this story, which is terrible because chapters have been written. I think I just lost interest but I decided to upload what I had written, just in case. Sorry about the OOC.**

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Ryou smiled as he carefully closed the top down on his laptop. Finally that report was finished, with enough time to spare too. He stole a quick glance towards the tanned teenager sitting on his bed, nose stuck in a book while she made notes on the pad of paper next to her. "Have you finished?" she asked aloud, not looking from the book.

"Yes, I'm through. How are you doing? I can help, if you like," he offered, smiling as she looked up from the book.

Malik smiled softly and shook her head. "No, I'm alright. I'm nearly done, actually. Just a few more things to note down and then I can type this thing up. It should be finished before tomorrow."

"That's good," he replied.

They fell into a silence, as Malik returned to her work and Ryou watched. She was sitting cross-legged on his bed, still wearing the clothes she wore to sleep: a white sleeveless top and a pair of navy shorts. She had been with them (Ryou and Bakura) for almost two weeks now and finally things were beginning to look up for them. Bakura's distant behaviour had slowly begun to diminish and he and Malik went back to their 'love-hate' relationship, as Ryou secretly called it. He was unsure what had happened but he was certain that it happened on the night he had stayed late.

He came back to find both Malik and Bakura sitting in close proximity (as in a space between them) on the sofa, watching some horror film that had Bakura in stitches. To Ryou this was astonishing because Bakura had hardly ventured from his room, apart from to eat and relieve himself.

He was more than aware that Malik and Bakura were as close as one would prefer to admit and when a hammer was suddenly thrown into the works it was hard to handle. Ryou knew what it was like to lose friends when he moved to Domino but he was lucky to find new friends as good as Yugi.

Ryou's musing was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. He raised his head and wondered very briefly whether Bakura would answer the door, as he was already downstairs, but thought again this. Slowly, he pushed himself from his space and walked across the room to open the door. He didn't expect to hear what he did and immediately moved forward to hear more and possible prove any assistance.

Bakura mumbled under his breath as he answered the door, crimson eyes narrowing upon seeing the person standing on the other side.

"What do you want?" he snarled.

Isis, wearing the traditional dresses she was accustomed to, stood with her hands on her hips. She did not move or answer Bakura until after she sighed heavily.

"I want to know where my brother is and what you've done to him!" she said sternly, her own eyes narrowing to match those of Bakura.

"What makes you think that I have any idea what you're talking about? Shouldn't you be managing your tomb, museum – whatever it is?"

The female glared at the smirking Tomb-Robber but did not retort. "I simply wish to know where Malik is. He has missed two weeks of school and is not been seen at home. Where is he?" she demanded, pushing her way past Bakura and into the house.

Bakura closed the door and turned to Isis. "Don't demons like you need to have official permission before you enter any house? There needs to be some kind of ward to keep the monsters at bay." He flashed Isis a dark smile.

"You are seriously trying my patience, Bakura! Where is Malik?"

"You know," Bakura began, walking behind Isis and smiling as she turned quickly. He moved closer, enough for her to hear him whisper, "I hate parasites like you. Always ruining my business…"

Isis held her breath as the platinum-haired man whispered in her ear. Did what he say mean that he had something to do with Malik's sudden disappearance? She was too engrossed in her own thoughts that she visibly jumped when Bakura moved suddenly and spoke loudly.

"Isis, how about I send you back to the Shadow Realm? I hear it's quite lovely this time of year." He surveyed her with a sardonic smile, his eyes gleaning with emotions that Isis wished never to see directed at her. He sneered quietly at her. "Prepare to meet your fate…"

"Bakura!"

Bakura turned to look at the platinum-haired boy rushing down the stairs, breathing heavily and obviously feeling very uncomfortable with the current situation.

"Bakura," he panted. "Please…"

"Why should I listen to a pathetic runt such as yourself?" he asked, amused.

"Because this isn't the way we would discuss this issue."

Bakura arched a fine brow, mentally giving Ryou two minutes before he turned his full attention back to Isis. "I wasn't involved in that conversation, because I would have clearly advised us to dispose of her, quickly and painfully. You and Malik may have mentioned such a thing but she is here now and I don't see you rushing to throw out explanations."

Isis stepped forward. "What is this? I clearly heard you mention Malik's name. Tell me!"

"I bet you really wished that you had kept that little trinket of yours close by, instead of handing it over to the pharaoh," Bakura taunted, his back still towards the female.

"Bakura…" Ryou whimpered.

"Isis!" Bakura said, ignoring Ryou. "You want to know what happened to Malik? I think Malik should explain this one." He could hear Ryou take a deep breath of air, obviously now worried. This was not what they had planned, but when did Bakura ever stick to plans and rules? "I'll get Malik, shall I? I'll be just a moment."

With that Bakura made his way up the stairs and into Ryou's room. Malik would certainly shout at him but he didn't care. This was the only way to get Isis to back off. '_She probably thinks I've killed him or something just as terrible_…'

Bakura pushed the door open and saw Malik, standing and looking extremely panicked about having to face her sister.

"You have to face her sometime or another," he told her, carefully closing the door behind him so Isis or Ryou could not hear them talking.

"Can I choose 'another' then?" Malik sighed. How could she possibly face Isis looking like this? She wasn't even wearing suitable clothing for a start! Then again, Isis would be more shocked at the sight of Malik as a female other than her limited supply of clothing she wore. "Why do you always throw me in at the deep end?"

"Yes, but how many times have I jumped in afterwards to stop you from drowning?" he questioned.

"How did you do that when you pushed me in with the Ryou situation? You helped very little then - all you did was piss me off."

Bakura shook his head and sat on the computer chair. "Did you not think that I was provoking you a bit too much? More than usual? I did that to cause a reaction from you, which would cause you to forget about the tension between you and Ryou. I believe it did the job as you spend most of that conversation nagging at me, which, I am assuming, you are more comfortable in doing."

Malik was shocked to hear Bakura admit that. True, she had noticed that Bakura was provoking her more than the norm but she just felt it was the need to humiliate her in front of Ryou. But now, to find out that Bakura did that to draw attention away from her … she didn't know what to say…

"How are you gonna get me out of this one then, almighty hero?" she snorted, a small smile flitting across her face.

Bakura returned it with a half-smile. "I haven't thought that far ahead because I'm just making this up as I go along."

Malik shook her head. "I can't face Isis looking like this. I'm a state!"

Bakura groaned as he stood up and grabbed Malik's hand, dragging her along after him. "You look ravishing - lets go!"

Malik stopped as he heard Bakura. "W-What did you say?" she asked, almost shyly.

"Now certainly is not the time to let your whims get you distracted. I said you look fine, now let's go!"

Malik let herself get pulled from the room. She had heard Bakura perfectly well the first time but she wanted to clarify what he had said, just for reassurance. Her cheeks flushed a shade of red at the thought of Bakura's Freudian slip. Did that mean anything? Was it a slip or had Bakura been teasing? She could not tell with his tone. It wasn't the one he usually used to torment her, which she had become fairly accustomed to.

"Okay," she said, softly.

To be continued…


End file.
